Portsmouth head caught drink-driving and with cocaine is banned from teaching

A SHAMED headteacher who was caught drink-driving and in possession of cocaine has been banned from teaching indefinitely.
Portsmouth headteacher Iain Gilmour, 48, of George Street, admitted drink-driving and having cocaine, a Class A drug

8/2/18Portsmouth headteacher Iain Gilmour, 48, of George Street, admitted drink-driving and having cocaine, a Class A drug

8/2/18
Portsmouth headteacher Iain Gilmour, 48, of George Street, admitted drink-driving and having cocaine, a Class A drug 8/2/18

Disgraced Iain Gilmour, 48, was pulled over by police when he drove through two red lights in Manor Road, Buckland, in January last year.

Breathalyser tests revealed he was twice the legal drink-drive limit while a subsequent search found him in possession of half a gram of cocaine.

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Mr Gilmour was suspended as head at Isambard Brunel Junior School, in North End, and later resigned following guilty pleas to drink-driving and possessing Class A drugs.

Portsmouth headteacher Iain Gilmour, 48, of George Street, admitted drink-driving and having cocaine, a Class A drug

8/2/18Portsmouth headteacher Iain Gilmour, 48, of George Street, admitted drink-driving and having cocaine, a Class A drug

8/2/18
Portsmouth headteacher Iain Gilmour, 48, of George Street, admitted drink-driving and having cocaine, a Class A drug 8/2/18

Now a professional conduct panel has found his actions were '˜outside that which could reasonably tolerated' and banned him from teaching.

Mr Gilmour, of George Street, Buckland, will have to wait at least two years before he can appeal the decision.

The panel noted Mr Gilmour's actions were '˜out of character' and had been exacerbated by the pressures he faced running the school '“ which included '˜the death of a long-serving colleague' and a '˜staff shortage'.

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It also took Mr Gilmour's health, remorse for his actions and '˜lack of support provided by his employers' the Thinking Schools Academy Trust, into account.

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Headteacher quits role at Portsmouth school drink-driving and drug convictions

However, the body found his actions were so grave they had '˜undermined public confidence in the profession' and concluded the only option available was to ban him.

As previously reported, Portsmouth Magistrates' Court heard the senior teacher had drunk three bottles of wine and bought half a gram of cocaine for £200.

After he admitted both charges, magistrates banned from driving for 18 months and ordered him to pay costs and fines totalling £1,920.

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In a frank admission to the court, Mr Gilmour said he had been under '˜constant' pressure to improve standards at Isambard Brunel Junior School after it was given a '˜requires improvement' rating by Ofsted.

Appearing in court in February, he described how difficulties led to his actions that '˜destroyed' his career.

But he said he had heeded the '˜wake-up call' and was '˜determined to save himself' from drinking again.

He said of his offences: '˜I still plead guilty, but in doing so ask the court to understand that they were committed by a man who had been overwhelmed by his personal demons, a man who is still deeply ashamed of himself, but a man whose determination to turn his life around has been demonstrated by his actions over the last 14 days.'

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He added: '˜I would like to publicly apologise to my family; the parents, children and staff at Brunel; this city where I have taught for 22 years, and finally the court.'

Mr Gilmour said he suffered with depression for five years and was '˜determined' to succeed professionally.

His suspension and subsequent resignation left parents at the school shocked. Many described him at the time as a '˜fantastic teacher' who was '˜always good with the children'.