A FORMER headteacher convicted of looking at a woman in a leisure centre changing room brought the teaching profession into disrepute, a panel has ruled.
The professional conduct panel of the National College for Teaching and Leadership met on Tuesday (February 17) to consider if David Doubtfire, formerly in charge of Walkwood Middle School, was guilty of unacceptable professional conduct or conduct which may bring the profession into disrepute.
It comes after his conviction for voyeurism in June last year at Hereford Crown Court.
Doubtfire, who resigned from his post at the Redditch school on the day he was charged with the offence, observed a woman in a state of undress after slipping over in the changing rooms of Evesham Leisure Centre.
The court heard he attended the centre to use the swimming pool and jacuzzi and fell over while changing. After he fell over, he was lying on the ground with his head slightly under the neighbouring cubicle but instead of attempting to get up from the ground he deliberately looked under the partition until the woman noticed him.
Doubtfire – who pleaded guilty and was conditionally discharged for 12 months, ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for a year and made to pay a victim surcharge of £15 – admitted his actions could have brought the profession into disrepute in a statement of agreed facts prepared before the hearing.
The panel ruled the 52-year-old from Bidford-on-Avon breached the personal and professional conduct elements of the Teachers’ Standards in that he failed to uphold public trust in the profession and maintain high standards of ethics and behaviour within and outside school. The behaviour was serious in that it was an offence of a sexual
nature and clearly caused distress.
No decision on whether Doubtfire could return to teaching was made.
