Advertisement
Charges against sacked teacher dropped
Date published: 04 June 2010
A TEACHER who was sacked after he was arrested on suspicion of possessing child pornography has told of his relief at being released without charge by police.
Nigel Hooley, the former head of maths at South Chadderton School, was suspended — then fired — when indecent images were found on a computer in June, last year.
He was arrested and bailed by police but strenuously denied the claims, alleging a number of incidents when computers at the Butterworth Lane secondary were not secure.
The 33-year-old Trafford councillor has now been released without charge.
He said: “I am absolutely delighted with the result. What I am disappointed with is the fact that it took so long to clear my name.
“That’s procedure, I’m told, but it just took far too long — we are three or four weeks short of a year.
“It has been been very stressful and very difficult having also lost a job.”
Mr Hooley refused to comment about South Chadderton School, its decision to dismiss him, or previous allegations over school security.
Mr Hooley, who remained as a councillor for Sale Moor, has been reinstated in the Conservative group at Trafford Council, from which he was suspended along with his roles on the planning and licensing committees.
Describing how he coped with the ordeal, he added: “Quite simply it is through the support of family and friends. Without them it would have been much more difficult.
“The first thing I need to do now is take a few weeks out and reflect on what has been a very stressful year.”
A statement from Greater Manchester Police confirmed: “A 33-year-old man, arrested on suspicion of possessing indecent images of children, has been released without charge.
Mr Hooley was dismissed by South Chadderton in September, 2009.
Chairman of governors Vernon Cressey said yesterday: “We went through a thorough investigation.
“We are quite happy our computers are secure and we had them all checked.”
Comments
I knew he didn't do anything said all along he wasn't like that, he was always just a genuine nice guy.
Yet another instance of an innocent person having their life ruined due to being named in the press before any allegations were fully investigated.
Go for it Mr.Hooley - sue those who doubted you for as much as you can get out of them !
Chairman of governors Vernon Cressey said yesterday: “We went through a thorough investigation."
Not as thoroughly as the police, yet you felt able and willing to sack a good and decent man, tarnish his reputation and remove his livelihood. Will you now do the honourable thing, Mr. Cressey, and give Mr. Hooley a written apology and the school board your resignation?
Another case of being convicted before a trial has taken place. I am not condoning the offence in question, but this man has suffered due to editorial influence.
mr cressey you and your governors are useless,and you should all hang your heads in shame,you have sacked an innocent man,and i hope his lawyer is onto you fools for wrongful dismissal,resign,the lot of you.
How can this man be sacked for something he did not do? The governors at South Chaddreton School are either going to face a huge legal case for the damage to this man's career and his personal distress, or they have already done a deal to avoid any litigation.
The school governors appear to have no grounds for dismissal, so surely they are the ones who should be under scrutiny?
As a teacher in a local school I know how easy it is for so-called innocent children to search out, find and use secure passwords for school computers.
Some find it a game to try and circumvent censor filters and log onto banned websites.
Surely Mr Cressey should have known this and at the most suspended Mr Hooley until the poice investigation or court appearance was completed.
He is surely saying that Mr Hooley is guilty but the law of the land says not.
Who is right?
Secure computers and you had them all checked? Thats rich Cressey, very rich. Im afraid its time all the sights were firmly set on you and yr board, its time for an independent to review this case. When they do so they will see how poor your "security" at the school is/was and then you will realise you sacked an innocent man. When I say was, im convinced you have made changes. Thats surely admitting your computers were not safe.
Even though the man has been cleared it is highly unlikely that the stigma will go away totally - mud, unfortunately, sticks. I hope he gets a chance to re-build a career but it will, almost certainly, have to be away from the teaching profession.
Have Your Say
Mr Hooley should have been suspended until the Police Investigations had concluded not sacked.
By Fanov Rutter @ 04/06/2010 16:30:17