LONDON MUSIC TEACHER BANNED FOR SEXUALLY ASSAULTING MAN BY PLYING THEM WITH ALCOHOL AT HIS FLAT
A Central London Church music master has been sentenced for an offence involving ‘sexual activity, child cruelty and controlling or coercive behaviour’.Paul Stubbings was actively employed as the Master of Music at St Martin-in-the-Fields Church when the incident occurred, in 1999.
Decades after the offence, Stubbings had worked at Westminster Cathedral Choir School, a prestigious private Catholic school in Victoria, where he commenced employment as Head of Music on 2 September 2022.
The victim, known only as Person A, reopened the case in May 2022 because they were willing to provide a statement to the police regarding the incident.
They are referred to as such to protect their identity.
The disgraced teacher was suspended from his role a few months later and it was referred to the teaching watchdog.
The misconduct hearing report noted that the offence ‘happened outside the school setting’.
But despite this, alcohol was used to ‘facilitate the offence’ after Stubbings invited the victim to stay overnight at his flat.
The panel also highlighted that his actions involved a clear "abuse of trust" and a "significant power imbalance".
Although the sentencing judge had accepted some mitigation regarding Stubbings' previous good character, the TRA panel feared a possibility of ‘repetition,’ due to Stubbings’ ‘lack of insight and remorse’ beyond his initial guilty plea.
His conduct was ultimately found to be in breach of several Teachers' Standards, including failing to uphold public trust, failing to observe proper boundaries, and failing to safeguard well-being.
Stubbings was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court on May 2 last year, having entered a prompt guilty plea and been convicted of indecent assault against a man aged 16 or over at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on January 29 the same year.
Stubbings was sentenced to a custodial sentence of two years, suspended for two years, 300 hours of unpaid work, a 25-day rehabilitation activity requirement, and was ordered to sign the sex offender register for 10 years.
Decision maker David Oatley, acting on behalf of the Secretary of State, said: “I consider therefore that allowing for no review period is necessary to maintain public confidence and is proportionate and in the public interest.
"This means that Mr Paul Michael Stubbings is prohibited from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England.
Furthermore, in view of the seriousness of the allegation found proved against him, I have decided that Mr Stubbings shall not be entitled to apply for restoration of his eligibility to teach."
