A FORMER vicar of Calstock has been banned from teaching for the rest of his life by a teacher's disciplinary panel — five years after he was cleared in court of abusing pupils.

The Rev Canon James Andrew Christopher Wilson, 67, was cleared by Plymouth Crown Court in 2010 of charges allegedly committed between 1974 and 1980 when he was teaching at a primary school in Plymouth before he was ordained.

However, the National College for Teaching and Leadership's (NCTL) professional conduct panel, which heard a case against Mr Wilson two weeks ago, imposed the ban after deciding 'on the balance of probabilities' that he was guilty of inappropriately touching five pupils at the school.

Mr Wilson, who was vicar of Calstock after leaving the school in the 80s, did not attend the hearing and was not represented.

The report stated the panel was satisfied that he was guilty of unacceptable professional conduct in respect of the five pupils who gave evidence and that his behaviour was 'sexually motivated'.

Now all adults, the pupils, three girls and two boys, told the hearing that Mr Wilson had touched their private parts. He was alleged to have 'fondled' the genitals of the boys, 'digitally penetrated' one of the girls and inappropriately touched the others.

The report stated: 'The panel was of the view that the evidence of all the witnesses was broadly consistent both in terms of the circumstances of how the touching happened and of their description of Mr Wilson at the time of the events. In particular, the incidents primarily took place when the other children were present, but in a way that the touching was unlikely to have been visible to the other children.

'The panel was mindful of the fact that the allegations related to the 1970s and 1980s when society's attitudes in general may have been different. However, the panel considered that the type of touching in the allegations would have been inappropriate at any time.'

The report said the panel was conscious that Mr Wilson had been tried on the matters forming the subject matter of the current charges against him and he was found not guilty. However, the panel noted that the criminal trial was decided on the basis of a standard of proof 'beyond reasonable doubt', whereas the NCTL hearing proceedings required findings on the 'balance of probabilities'.

After examining the evidence of the five pupils concerned, the panel found the allegations in respect of each pupil proven and considered the evidence of all five pupils collectively demonstrated significant consistency in their account of events, particularly the similarities and circumstances of the touching.

The panel said the accounts were 'mutually supportive' and added 'significant weight' to the case against Mr Wilson.

The report said: 'The panel was satisfied that Mr Wilson's purpose in carrying out his actions was sexual. While the panel considered Mr Wilson's acceptance in the criminal proceedings that he might have made friendly or reassuring contact with pupils, it was of the view that the acts found proven went well beyond any ordinarily explicable contact and his motivation can only have been sexual.'

The report said given the serious and repeated nature of Mr Wilson's conduct against very young children, the panel was satisfied that Mr Wilson's behaviour amounted to misconduct of a serious nature, falling significantly short of the standard of behaviour expected of a teacher.

On behalf of the Secretary of State, decision maker Alan Meyrick said in the report: 'This case involves a significant breach of trust by Mr Wilson and a very serious abuse of his position as a teacher. The pupils were particularly vulnerable by virtue of their young age and would have been less able to understand and articulate the significance of the events.'

He said he supported the NCTL panel recommendation that Mr Wilson should be banned from teaching with no opportunity at a later stage for him to have the ban lifted. This means Mr Wilson is prohibited from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children's home in England.

Mr Wilson can appeal to the High Court against the ruling.