Teacher cleared of sexual misconduct allegations, can return

A teacher named Hugh O'Neill will be allowed to return to teaching after a panel found no proof of allegations against him. The accusations included sexual misconduct and inappropriate comments directed at a former colleague. The Teacher Regulation Agency (TRA) hearing lasted nearly three months and featured five days of testimony. During the hearing, it was claimed that O’Neill coerced a female colleague into inappropriate actions and harassed her. However, the panel did not find these allegations substantiated. In their ruling, the panel raised concerns about the reliability of the evidence from the colleague. They pointed out that some claims, such as O’Neill touching her breasts in view of others, seemed unlikely. They also questioned whether O’Neill would have made inappropriate comments without anyone else hearing. The panel looked closely at the nature of the communications between O’Neill and the colleague after her complaints. They noted that the continued contact between them, including friendly text messages, undermined the credibility of her accusations. Ultimately, the panel decided it did not need to assess whether O’Neill's actions constituted unacceptable professional conduct. O’Neill is now free to choose whether he wants to return to teaching.