The Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal has allowed a teacher, convicted of driving under the influence, to stay registered. The teacher had five drink driving offences and had been convicted for common assault.

The Tribunal found that as the teacher’s previous convictions were old and because there was limited evidence before them in regards to those convictions, that their decision must take no account of his past discrepancies.

The Tribunal noted their concern for the teacher’s drinking problem. Although, the teacher acknowledged his problem, the Tribunal felt that he did not understand the full extent of the issue and had taken no steps to ensure that his behaviour would not be repeated.

The Tribunal held that this was not a case in which the teacher needed to deregister in order to protect the public and maintain the standards of the teaching profession, but ordered the Teachers Council to make note of the case on their register. A condition was also imposed on the teacher’s practicing certificate so that he must undertake a drug and alcohol dependency course to resolve his alcohol problem.