Teacher banned from classroom for life after holding knife to colleague’s throat
A teacher who held a butter knife to a colleague’s throat and threatened to ‘slash’ her has been banned from ever entering a classroom again.
David Crawford worked at Fishburn Primary School, near Stockton, when he assaulted a female teacher with a knife on May 4, 2020.
Summarising the incident at a disciplinary hearing, presenting officer for the Teacher Regulation Agency (TRA) Adam Slack, said Mr Crawford assaulted the colleague on school grounds.
He told the panel: ‘[Name of teacher] reported that Mr Crawford assaulted her in the main school office. She alleges that he approached her from behind, put his arm across her chest and with his other hand held a butter knife to her throat and made threatening comments.’
The incident was witnessed by another member of staff, who claimed that ‘as Mr Crawford pressed the knife to her neck, he made a comment that he was going to “slash” her. She said she tried to wiggle back to free herself and told him to pack it in. She said that Mr Crawford laughed and said “the things I could do to you girl” and told her that she needed “slashing down a size”.
Mr Slack said: ‘Witness A said she told Mr Crawford that no one had ever said that to her before and he replied that he had done “quite a bit of slashing down to size’ in his time and he left the room. Witness A said the whole incident lasted approximately two minutes. Afterwards, Witness A said Witness D looked at her and she burst into tears.’
Mr Crawford, who had worked at the school since 2005, reportedly approached the woman later that day and apologised for ‘clowning around’.
The incident was reported to the police and on August 9, 2021, the teacher was convicted of assault at Peterlee Magistrates’ Court and was fined £440. He was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge and court costs. A referral was made to the TRA on September 13, 2021.
Following the hearing, the panel found Mr Crawford guilty of the allegations against him and said a prohibition order was appropriate.
A report into the matter states: ‘The panel was of the view that prohibition was both proportionate and appropriate and concluded that the public interest considerations outweighed the interests of Mr Crawford.
‘The seriousness of the offence and that the offence involved violence with a knife, took place in the school, against a colleague, during school hours and while there were pupils in school, were significant factors in forming that opinion. Accordingly, the panel made a recommendation to the Secretary of State that a prohibition order should be imposed with immediate effect.’
Mr Crawford did not provide any admission of fact or any submissions in respect of the allegation, although he did state in an email on December 4, 2024, that the accusations against him were ‘dishonest’.
He previously told Teesside Live: ‘Unfortunately for me the dishonesty and accusations against me cannot be proven and as such, any defence of my position cannot be amounted.’ He also said he could not present any new information to the hearing and would not attend.
Mr Crawford was banned from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England. The report states: ‘Furthermore, in view of the seriousness of the allegation found proved against him, Mr Crawford shall not be entitled to apply for restoration of his eligibility to teach.’
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