Tuesday 21 June 2022 11:08 PM Teacher who 'groped and kissed a pupil at nightclub' had 'told two others at ... trends now
A teacher who allegedly 'groped and kissed' a pupil at a nightclub had also told two other pupils at the venue to 'f*** off', a hearing has been told.
Pupils reported 34-year-old Ashley McConnell to other members of staff at Thurso High School in Caithness, Scotland, after being left feeling 'indignant' by her alleged behaviour.
The physics teacher, also known as Ashley Swanson, is alleged to have danced in a sexualised manner with a sixth year pupil at local Skinandi's nightclub in March 2018.
She has also been accused of kissing the 17-year-old, touching his bottom and groin and holding hands with him during the night in question.
Miss McConnell, who was 30 at the time and married, admits holding hands with the teen but denies kissing him.
Earlier this month her friend and former colleague Emilie Charton, who was with her on the night, said McConnell was drunk and acting flirtatious at the nightclub.
On Monday, the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) heard evidence from Thurso High School headteacher Kathryn MacKay who investigated the claims.
Miss McConnell faces being struck off the teaching register by the General Council for Scotland (GTCS) following an investigation over her alleged behaviour.
Physics teacher Ashley McConnell, 34 (pictured), who has been accused of groping and kissing a teenage pupil at a local nightclub in Caithness, Scotland, told school bosses she 'couldn't remember' the incident
Anonymising the identity of the pupils involved, she said: 'Pupils B, C, D and E came to my office with a guidance teacher and told me that they had been at a nightclub and Miss McConnell had kissed Pupil A.
'There also appeared to have been an argument between Ashley and one of the girls.
'Yes, the guidance teacher took them down to my office, they were just sat there and told me.
'They did say that they had saw Pupil A kiss the teacher.
'I was shown video footage on Tuesday 27 March - I could see Pupil B dancing and Pupil A and Ashley McConnell were standing talking, that's all they were doing.
'From what they said, I didn't think that Miss McConnell should have been behaving that way, I don't think she should have been at the nightclub amongst her pupils.
'That [the kiss] shouldn't happen, we are teachers, we shouldn't be having any type of relationship like that at all.
The physics teacher, also known as Ashley Swanson, works at Thurso High School in Caithness (pictured). She has also been accused of kissing the
