Physics teacher banned after drunken sex with pupil in plane toilet

A physics teacher who had sex with a pupil in the lavatory of a plane was caught after a second pupil tried to blackmail her, a tribunal heard.

Eleanor Wilson, 28, was described as intoxicated when she flew back from Geneva and starting flirting with the boy at the back of the plane while caring for another poorly pupil, a panel heard.

The boy - who had drunk five mini bottles of wine - joined her in the lavatory for sex and oral intercourse without protection, it was heard.

The academy teacher, from South Gloucestershire, continued their relationship, texting and meeting up for drinks, despite rumours circulating at school.

But the relationship came to light seven months later when another pupil emailed Wilson saying he would reveal the tryst unless she had sex with him, it was said.

Panel ruling

Police and the school found out and Wilson was dismissed and brought before a professional conduct panel earlier this month.

She was found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct and bringing the profession into disrepute and banned from teaching.

The hearing found: "The panel heard evidence from Pupil A that during a school trip, he and Miss Wilson became close.

"During the flight home from the trip, Pupil A gave evidence that he and Miss Wilson were flirting at the back of the plane, whilst looking after another pupil who was unwell.

"Pupil A gave evidence that Miss Wilson was intoxicated and that he had himself drunk approximately five miniature bottles of wine on the flight.

"Pupil A gave evidence that he and Miss Wilson entered the toilet, kissed and had oral sex and intercourse without using protection. Miss Wilson denied this allegation in its entirety, as evidenced within the notes of the school's investigation.

"The panel considered all of the evidence, and after hearing his oral evidence and having the opportunity to test it, preferred the evidence of Pupil A."

It added: "In the following months it is alleged that the relationship with Pupil A continued through text messages and meetings outside of school.

"In March 2016, Miss Wilson received a series of emails from Pupil C, in which he confirmed knowledge of a sexual relationship between Miss Wilson and Pupil A and in which he said he would inform the school unless she engaged in sexual conduct with him."

Miss Wilson had worked at the school - where she was also head of key stage four - since 2013. In 2015, she led a group of older pupils on a trip to Switzerland.

After returning home, she told a school newsletter: "The trip will provide a real source of inspiration for our young people as they continue with their studies and think about their future career paths."

But the misconduct panel found the "intoxicated" teacher had unprotected intercourse and oral sex with the pupil at the back of the plane.

The continued their relationship, meeting outside of school, texting, drinking together and kissing, the panel heard.

The boy - whose age and name are not included in the panel report - thought the pair were an item and admitted he was in love.

The panel paperwork added: "The panel considered the evidence of Pupil A that he believed he was in a relationship with Miss Wilson and that he thought he loved her."

The headteacher confronted Miss Wilson in September 2015 after hearing rumours she was in inappropriate relationship with an unknown pupil.

But no action was taken due to a lack of "corroborating evidence", the report said.

The banned relationship came to light in March 2016 when another child - named as pupil C - emailed Miss Wilson threatening to reveal the truth to other teachers.

The pupil told the panel Miss Wilson told him to keep their relationship a secret and to delete their text messages, once the school started investigating.

She was dismissed in May 2016 after falsely denying to the head she hadn't met up with the lad or had sex.

Wilson was not present at the panel heard she had previously denied the pair had sex or later kissed - and claimed they simply "hugged on occasion".

She admitted during the school's investigation the pair had met up and texted but denied they had drunk alcohol - despite the lad showing teachers a receipt for ciders.

But the two-day hearing found her guilty of all but two of the allegations, on the balance of probabilities. They concluded that while she did let pupils drink and consumed alcohol herself on the school trip that this element was not sexually motivated.

The panel gave her a prohibition order banning her from teaching indefinitely in any school and ordered she cannot apply to teach again.