Martin Butler

Introduction

Martin Butler is a former teacher at Shebbear College in Devon who has been banned from teaching for life. In March 2024, a professional conduct panel of the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) found that, while working at the school, he had engaged in inappropriate physical contact of a sexual nature with three pupils, identified in the published decision only as Pupil A, Pupil B and Pupil C. On 4 April 2024, decision maker Marc Cavey, acting on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education, prohibited Mr Butler from teaching indefinitely, with no review period and no entitlement to apply for restoration.

Background Information

The decision records Mr Butler’s teacher reference number as 9543427 and his date of birth as 25 September 1961, with a TRA reference of 20378. It states that he commenced employment as a teacher at Shebbear College on 1 September 2018, while the allegations cover the period between 1 September 2017 and 1 November 2021 — the published outcome therefore gives two different start dates. He denied the allegations in his response to the notice of hearing dated 26 January 2024.

The Controversy or Incident That Led to Their Cancellation

On 22 June 2021, Pupil A disclosed to a staff member at the school that Mr Butler had been touching her. In the note of that disclosure, she said: “Mr Butler like since February he’s been like touching me a lot. He doesn’t do it when others are around. It makes me feel uncomfortable. Does it at break time when walking about. People are there but no teachers around, others don’t notice. He has touched me on the chest, on the butt, my shoulders and waist and hips.” The matter was referred to the Local Authority Designated Officer the same day. On 1 July 2021, Mr Butler was suspended whilst an investigation was carried out, and on 5 July 2021 he was interviewed. On 8 September 2021, interviews of relevant pupils and staff took place at the school, and Pupil B and Pupil C alleged that Mr Butler had touched them as well. The matter was referred to the TRA on 5 November 2021.

The panel found that Mr Butler touched Pupil A on her hips, thighs, breast and bottom; touched Pupil B on her waist, hip, breast(s) and bottom; and placed his arm around Pupil C while touching her hip. Pupil B described him putting his arm around her waist with his hand on her bottom as she showed him her work at his desk, and leaning across her desk so his arm brushed her chest. Pupil C said that after praising her work he gave her a hug, put his hand on her hip and made her feel uncomfortable. A separate allegation that he deliberately dropped hockey sticks so that Pupil A and Pupil B had to bend over in front of him to pick them up was found not proven.

Mr Butler denied everything. He claimed he had no recollection of touching any pupil inappropriately, suggested Pupil A was a known bully whose disclosures gained her attention, and argued that any touch must have been accidental. In his written statement, he said that on the day of his dismissal he bumped into a person close to Pupil C outside school who greeted him warmly and told him that Pupil C “missed him desperately”. The panel rejected these accounts, finding the pupils’ disclosures specific, consistent and corroborated by other pupils and staff. His employment at the school ended on 1 November 2021; the decision refers to his dismissal, though it does not state the exact date.

Public Reaction and Consequences

The panel convened by the TRA heard the case from 25 to 27 March 2024 by way of a virtual hearing held in public. Mr Butler was not present and was not represented; he had confirmed in writing on 14 January 2024 that he voluntarily waived his right to attend and accepted that the panel could make findings leading to a prohibition order. Applying the principles in R v Jones, the panel decided it was fair and in the public interest to proceed in his absence. It found the touching allegations concerning all three pupils proved, found that the conduct towards Pupil A and Pupil B was of a sexual nature. Adopting the Court of Appeal’s approach in a medical case the panel considered — that “in the absence of a plausible innocent explanation for what he did, the facts spoke for themselves” — it could find no plausible innocent explanation for his behaviour, and concluded that his actions amounted to unacceptable professional conduct and conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute. The panel recommended a prohibition order with immediate effect and no review period.

Current Status

On 4 April 2024, Marc Cavey, deciding on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education, imposed a prohibition order on Mr Butler. He is prohibited from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England. No review period was set, and he is not entitled to apply for restoration of his eligibility to teach. The decision placed considerable weight on “the very serious nature of the misconduct found, which included sexually motivated behaviour towards pupils, and the lack of evidence of full insight and/or remorse”, and noted that the offences took place on school premises whilst he was acting in his capacity as a teacher. The order takes effect from the date it was served, with a right of appeal to the High Court within 28 days.

Impact on Their Career/Life

The prohibition order ended Mr Butler’s teaching career in England permanently: because it was imposed without a review period and without the right to apply for restoration, the ban cannot be lifted. In submissions to the panel he described the impact as catastrophic and said his savings were gone, spent on a solicitor. The panel received character references from former colleagues and parents attesting to his ability and professionalism as a teacher, and the Secretary of State acknowledged that contribution — but gave it less weight than the seriousness of sexually motivated behaviour towards pupils and the absence of full insight and remorse.

Sources

• Department for Education, “Teacher misconduct panel outcome: Mr Martin Butler” — source