Deputy headteacher barred from teaching for life after raping girl

A primary school deputy headteacher has been barred from teaching after she was jailed for child sexual abuse offences.

Julie Morris, 46, the safeguarding lead at a school in Wigan, was involved in a number of disturbing child sexual abuse offences along with her partner David Morris, including filming themselves raping a 13-year-old girl.

David Morris admitted 34 offences and was sentenced to 16 years in prison in a case the sentencing judge said showed “human depravity really knows no depths”.

Morris was sentenced to 13 years and four months in prison in 2021 for her crimes. Following her conviction, a professional conduct panel has now permanently barred her from teaching due to the severity of her offences.

The offences, which occurred over three years, were not related to her employment at St George’s Central Church of England Primary School in the town. However, her role as the safeguarding lead made her actions particularly egregious, as she was entrusted with the welfare and safety of children while simultaneously engaging in child abuse.

The Teaching Regulation Agency’s panel found Morris’s actions to raise significant concerns for public and child protection, considering her position of responsibility within the school.

The panel concluded that there was a real risk of Morris repeating her offending behaviour, as her actions were deliberate and sustained. Therefore, she has been prohibited from teaching for life, with no possibility of restoration of eligibility.

During sentencing, Liverpool Crown Court heard that Morris giggled during the abuse, highlighting the depravity of the acts committed.

The couple’s relationship, which began in 2016 after meeting on a dating app, quickly escalated into intense sexual encounters, including the realisation of their disturbing fantasies. The evidence against them surfaced when police discovered conversations on David Morris’s phone discussing the sexual abuse of children, leading to their arrest and the seizure of incriminating recordings.

Morris, who pleaded guilty to the offences, has the right to appeal the decision within 28 days. However, given the severity of the crimes and the profound breach of trust, her permanent prohibition from teaching reflects the seriousness of her actions.