Teacher banned after stealing at school

A former teacher at a school in Wrexham has been banned from teaching after being found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct.

30-year-old Samuel Fitzpatrick was suspected of stealing money from a charity fund for a child who had died - and was then caught taking two marked pound coins.

He taught at Penygelli School in Coedpoeth until he was sacked and must wait for two years before he can apply to the General Teaching Council for Wales for his registration to be restored.

A hearing heard he also used school computers for his own personal use.

£20 vanished from a school fund for the family of a girl pupil who had died tragically and then Mr Fitzpatrick had been caught out when two marked £1 coins disappeared after being placed in a plastic jar.

After being sacked he worked at Asda, Queensferry, and was given a police caution for the theft of £560 there.

The panel found the case against him proven of stealing the two coins from the school, of dishonestly inputting details of his hours as a supply teacher which he knew were incorrect, using a school computer for his own purpose, and stealing from Asda.

The chairman, Richard Parry Jones, said a letter had been received from a psycho-therapist referring to depression. Mr Fitzpatrick had apologised, but the panel considered that because of the repetitive nature of his behaviour there was a risk of him repeating it to the detriment of school pupils.

Mr Fitzpatrick did not attend the hearing.