A Catholic school PE teacher who had sex with a teenage pupil at a six form leavers party has been banned from the classroom for life.
Matthew Fludgate, 36, seduced the 18-year-old girl in a hotel room after a boozy night drinking at a leavers prom on May 28, 2010.
A disciplinary panel heard teachers and students had gone for a meal at Old Orleans in Birmingham city centre to celebrate the end of A-Level exams.
But following the meal Fludgate headed out with the students to the Aussie-themed Walkabout bar on the city’s Broad Street entertainment district.
After spending the evening drinking Fludgate and the girl, known only as Pupil A, returned to a nearby hotel at around 3.30am where the pair proceeded to have unprotected sex.
The married teacher was suspended from St Edmund Campion School in Erdington, Birmingham, after the teenager told pals and the headteacher about their hotel romp.
She accused the former head of PE of rape and sexual assault but Fludgate was cleared of these charges following a trial at Birmingham Crown Court in June 2011.
But following a disciplinary hearing on Tuesday Fludgate was banned from the teaching profession for life after being found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct by the National College for Teaching.
He is now banned from teaching in any school, sixth form or college in the UK after the panel found he had abused his position and brought the profession into disrepute.
Chair of the panel Alan Meyrick said: “The panel has considered that he flagrantly breached his duty of care towards her.
“He had sexual intercourse with Pupil A despite being in a position of trust. The risk to Pupil A was exacerbated by the absence of the use of protection.
“I am satisfied that the conduct of Mr Fludgate fell significantly short of the standards expected of the profession.
“Mr Fludgate’s actions were deliberate and there was no evidence that he acted under duress.
“I have taken into account the previous good behaviour of Mr Fludgate alongside the need to maintain the reputation of the profession in the public interest.
“In my view it is proportionate and in the public interest to prohibit Mr Fludgate from teaching.
“The Panel has found that Mr Fludgate has been responsible for having sexual intercourse with a pupil, which, like the panel, I consider to be serious sexual misconduct.
“Mr Fludgate has not shown insight into his actions.
“In my view therefore this is a case in which a review period would not be appropriate and as such I have decided that it would be proportionate in all the circumstances for the Prohibition Order to be without provision for a review period.”
The tribunal heard Fludgate also sent flirtatious text messages to another pupil out of “male bravado.”
He said he sent the texts which were signed off with a series of xxx’s because he wanted some attention from her.
Following his court case Fludgate, from Stourport-upon-Severn, Worcs., said his career had been ruined by the girl’s accusations.
He was dismissed from the school for gross misconduct following a disciplinary hearing in March 2012.
The girl, who was still to complete a number of A-Level exams, claimed in court how Fludgate performed oral sex on her as well as penetrative sex against her will.
Speaking after being cleared of all charges he said: “I have contemplated taking my own life on at least three occasions.
“The only thing that kept me alive was the fact I knew I was innocent.
“It is the failings of the justice system that need to be corrected.
“On the word of one young woman another person’s life can be destroyed.”
Fludgate now has the right to appeal the Teaching Agency decision in the High Court.