Police: Matthew McGowan ‘Removed From Duty’
Matthew McGowan — who was banned from teaching in England for “inappropriate behavior” with a 16-year old student — has been removed from duty “with immediate effect,” the police confirmed today.
Mr McGowan was subject of multiple news report in the U.K. this week after the UK National College for Teaching and Leadership banned him from teaching in England.
The allegations, which can be read in a PDF contained in this article, included “engaging in sexual activity” with the student, and the panel found he was guilty of “serious misconduct” and deemed that he be “prohibited from teaching indefinitely.”
Acting Deputy Commissioner Antione Daniels said, “Matthew McGowan has been employed as an unsworn student officer on a recruit foundation course at the police training center since 11 September 2017.
“He was previously employed as a teacher at a private school in England. Information has come to light that a professional conduct panel in England has prohibited him from teaching indefinitely after it found allegations to be proven that he behaved inappropriately with a former female student. Mr. McGowan has been given 28 days in which to appeal the decision.
“The information about the allegations against Mr. McGowan was not available during the recruiting process and it was not declared by Mr. McGowan.
“The Bermuda Police Service takes the matter very seriously and has removed Mr. McGowan from duty with immediate effect. An update on his employment status will be provided in due course after legal advice has been taken.”
We do not need anymore problems in BPS,this was the correct and only course of action to be taken.
I’m am dumbfounded. Why would the BPS remove him from his classroom setting to seek legal advice? One would have thought that they would have left him alone and sort legal advice first. Talking about putting the cart before the horse. Seriously the BPS need proper advisors. Who’s running that place anyway?
” Who’s running tis place anyway”.
A bunch of Masons…………………………
That is so true!
Surely the police service took references from his previous employers?
he admitted to what he did get this creep out of bermuda
Getting him out of here is key. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in charge of one of the fine restaurants or in one of the supermarkets as a manager no less
Yeah because we have enough local versions who have been quietly let go or transferred to other schools to continue grooming students.
He is married to a Bermudian and has every right to be in Bermuda. If he ends up being pushed out of this role for allegations, and matters that are not related to his work as a police officer, then the tax payers will continue to pay him to do nothing. The are now while the BPS considers its actions, and if we keep persecuting him over and over then he will likely be a good financial assistance candidate – more tax dollars spent because of ignorance and bigotry. Sad and shameful…
I find it amazing that the BPS when vettIn this man didnt find anything pertaining to him. But as a bermudian who applied for the force was turned down as they stated I didn’t pass the vetting and I don’t have a record or any convictions kinda funny how they bet who and how they feel
Your inability to write a coherent sentence may have contributed to your rejection.
Being Bermudian plays against you. There is a lot of gossip, rumours, and quite frankly jealousy among Bermudians that factor into very subjective decision making. Also some abuse of positions of power and influence by local HR folks, and others who are allowed to spread things through informal networks. Networks that are more likely to know about Bermudians that those new to the island. So typically the backlash is more so on Bermudians as they have more of a track record in the community. e.g. my brother-in-law’s cousin is, or 10 years ago you said, I know this but can’t say formally, can’t trust him if so and so said, etc… Sad …
The fact that he did not declare his past convictions on his Government work permit application shows he is also not an honest person. We need people with integrity on the BPS, nothing less!
He didn’t have any past convictions.
Perhaps you need to learn to read.
As far as I can tell from articles about this he has not at any point been convicted of anything. There were no ‘past convictions’ that he could have declared.
…and he conveniently neglected to mention he was banned from teaching indefinitely for inappropriate sexual behavior with a minor. Why did he leave WA in 07′?
Not 07′, 2010.
He didn’t mention it when he applied because at that time he had not been ‘banned from teaching’.
You have trouble reading as well, I see.
Oh well let’s re-instate him and put him in charge of the cadets.
He wasn’t applying for a teaching role, and was not convicted of anything. Why would he have to say anything about this event in his past. Employers need to understand that people have a right to privacy and ought not be bullied because they are applying for a job.
There is a real problem here. This guy does not have any convictions. There was nothing in his past that would have prevented him from performing as a police officer, and he had nothing to declare during the recruitment process. He is also married to a Bermudian.
But mysteriously shortly after he starts a job in Bermuda information comes to light? He is removed from active duty, and there are calls for him to be kicked out of Bermuda. What type of people live in Bermuda. Strange…
If you read the article it is not ‘mysterious’ at all.
What do you people do, read the headline and make the rest up in your head?
If not mysterious just unfortunate timing that the outcome of the hearing is released 2 weeks after he starts new employment. Notwithstanding there was still nothing to be declared, which was the point of my original reply.
In that case I think we see it the same way…
Duh, can’t you read? Anyway, inappropriate sexual contact with a student as a teacher, you’re hired, enjoy a joint rather than a martini on the weekend, you are deemed unemployable.
I think the guy is clearly a weirdo, but agree that the BPS could be on shaky ground. He hasn’t actually broken the law as far as I can see? The girl was 16. It is legal for a 16 year old to have sex in the UK at 16. But that doesn’t stop it being inappropriate. However, why didn’t the BPS obtain references from previous employers? Interesting to find out if Warwick Academy gave him one. The French President was a 15 year old boy when he met his wife 24 years his senior and a teacher at his school. Hasn’t stopped her becoming 1st lady.
I am sure there would have been references, multiple in fact. The reason for multiple is so that no single employer could cast doubt on an entire career. In this case though it was probably best that neither party said anything.
Actually this is the law in the UK!
Although teenagers of 16 or older can have sex it is illegal for someone in a “position of trust” – such as teachers, carers and doctors – to have sex with someone under 18.