June 2012

Gwent teacher guilty of misconduct over sexual remarks

A TEACHER made sexual and other inappropriate remarks to pupils, and kissed a 14-year-old student, during spells at two Gwent schools.

Danish Bilha Maider Khan, 31, was today found guilty of two counts of misconduct by a General Teaching Council for Wales professional conduct committee.

He made sexual and/or inappropriate remarks to a class at Cwmcarn High School between September 2004 and January 2005. And in March 2005, it concluded he had an inappropriate relationship with a female pupil at West Mon comprehensive school, Pontypool. This had involved their kissing in a science room.

Newport-raised Mr Khan had denied both allegations. The latter was investigated by Gwent Police in 2008, following a complaint after he contacted the teenager through several e-mails, and asked her to guess who he was. One clue he gave was “you had a snog off me.”

The Crown Prosecution Service decided not to prosecute.

The committee was told Mr Khan had made sexual and inappropriate remarks, including one relating to drug use, whilst at Cwmcarn.

He claimed one remark – that a pupil was “stressed because she isn’t getting it” – was misinterpreted by Diane Street, a learning support assistant.

He told the committee the remarks allegation was based on “malicious falsehoods” and the school’s investigation process was flawed as pupils were able to collaborate on their evidence before making statements.

The committee concluded that while the investigation did not conform to good practice, and a degree of conferring between pupils was allowed, a number of “consistent themes” ran through their evidence, and Mrs Street had been a credible witness.

They did not believe however, that Jay Vadagama, a former friend of Mr Khan who claimed to have sent four of six-e-mails to the West Mon pupil after being allowed to use Mr Khan’s computer, had been a credible witness.

Mr Vadagama said had been to blame for carrying on the e-mail correspondence while staying with Mr Khan after a relationship breakdown, and being allowed to use his laptop computer. He said he was drinking a lot, being reckless and, in the case of the e-mail exchange, “stupid.”

Mr Khan admitted a “stupid mistake” in contacting the teenager three years after leaving West Mon, but said he sent only the first two e-mails.

Later messages referred to a “snog” with the teenager and mentioned a science room in which the teenager told police the incident occurred.

Mr Vadagama said he invented the “snog” and “science room” details.

The hearing also heard he had been convicted of six counts of theft in 1999 and 2000 and served three months in a young offenders’ institution.

The committee concluded that Mr Khan, now teaching at a specialist unit in Swindon, committed unacceptable professional conduct falling short of the standard expected of a registered teacher.