It follows a Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) hearing, which took place last month.
In 2023, Donal Donnelly, of Rossefield Road in Heaton, admitted to three counts of downloading a total of 2,000 plus indecent images of children.
Several of the images were classed as category A and B, while the rest were category C.
There was no evidence to suggest the offences involved children Donnelly taught.
At York Crown Court in December 2023, Donnelly was given an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and issued with a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
Offences ‘very serious’
A TRA report, published last Thursday, said Donnelly was a teacher employed to provide teaching services at Benton Park School in Rawdon from January 17, 2018, until July 3, 2023, when he was dismissed.
The panel found the offences to be “very serious” and believed that his actions were “deliberate”.
They said his behaviour “fundamentally breached the standard of conduct expected of a teacher”.
‘I hugely regret what I have done’
In response to the TRA’s investigation, Donnelly, 60, said: “I hugely regret what I have done.
“I committed the offences at a very difficult time in my life and I am full of remorse at what I did.
“I am ensuring that I do all the rehabilitation activities necessary and serve my conviction in the most positive way I can.”
Prohibition was ‘both proportionate and appropriate’
The panel “remained concerned about the potential risk of repetition of the behaviours demonstrated by the conviction”.
They were of the view that prohibition was “both proportionate and appropriate”.
The panel decided that the “public interest considerations outweighed the interests of Mr
Donnelly”.
The report said: “His convictions which involved his having made indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of a child were the significant factor in forming that opinion.
“Accordingly, the panel made a recommendation to the Secretary of State that a
prohibition order should be imposed with immediate effect.”
Donnelly banned ‘indefinitely’
Decision maker David Oatley said: “Donal Donnelly is prohibited from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England.
“Furthermore, in view of the seriousness of the allegation found proved against him, I have decided that Mr Donnelly shall not be entitled to apply for restoration of his eligibility to teach.”
Donnelly has a right of appeal to the High Court within 28 days from the date he is given notice of the order.