SCHOOL WORKER HID SEXUAL ASSAULT CHARGE
The professional education regulator has expelled a former mayor and support staff member who was convicted of sexual assault after he neglected to disclose his arrest and conviction to his employer.Andrew James, once a Labour town councillor and mayor for Maesteg, served at Caerau Primary School in Bridgend from 2015 until 2025.
He was charged with assaulting a woman in December 2023 at The Federation bar but failed to inform his school as legally required.
Instead of notifying his employer, James reported sick, citing a back issue, and received six months of full pay followed by six months at half pay.
James, who was mayor for Maesteg from 2022 to 2023 but lost his seat in 2024 due to non-attendance, was obligated to disclose his arrest but did not.
His school was not directly informed; instead, the incident was discussed within the community, covered by WalesOnline, and later communicated to his employer by police and the local education authority, the disciplinary hearing was told.
James, representing the Caerau ward on the local council, admitted guilt to a single sexual assault charge and faced sentencing at Cardiff Magistrates' Court in March last year.
At age 52 and residing on Hermon Road, Caerau, Maesteg, he was ordered to register as a sex offender for five years, received an 18-month community order, and was instructed to pay court costs along with a victim surcharge.
The EWC panel, conducted remotely, determined James’s failure to disclose his criminal record was dishonest and constituted serious misconduct.
The panel noted his minimal participation in the disciplinary process and absence of remorse.
As a result, James was permanently removed from the EWC register.
Given the typical duration of such bans, he will not be eligible to apply for re-registration for nearly four years, coinciding with the span of his sex offender registration.
While recognizing James’s previously unblemished record and positive remarks from his headteacher, the panel concluded that his misconduct and conviction were incompatible with continued registration.
The prolonged period of silence and the nature of the offence were serious professional breaches.
James claimed he was 'devastated' by the situation and said he could not bring himself to contact the school.
He has 28 days to lodge an appeal to the High Court.
