Wolverhampton church's director of music suspended after being struck off from teaching for 'inappropriate' relationship with former pupil at Gloucestershire girls' school
A Wolverhampton church has confirmed it suspended its director of music after allegations he visited a former pupil he had taught in Gloucestershire, and stayed in her bed, came to light.
Wolverhampton's St Peter's Collegiate Church has confirmed Louis Stockton, who was appointed director of music last year, was suspended from that role earlier this month after a Teacher's Regulation Agency (TRA) panel heard misconduct allegations against him. None of the allegations related to his time as the church's director of music.
A TRA investigation was launched after it was alleged that Mr Stockton, aged 32 and from Stourbridge, had failed to maintain 'professional boundaries' with a former pupil at Cheltenham Ladies' College in Gloucestershire, where he was a teacher between September 2022 and October 2023.
The panel heard that Mr Stockton had exchanged messages via Instagram and/or Snapchat with the pupil between July and October of 2023, and on one occasion that August had visited a pub with the pupil before she stayed overnight at his flat.
Mr Stockton had also admitted he visited the girl at her university accommodation in London on or around September 4, 2023, claiming that he wanted to see how she was settling in during her first weeks there.
He admitted spending the night with her, "assuming there would be a sofa" or other "suitable place to sleep". He said he had initially "slept on the floor", but later got into bed with her. He maintained the visit was a "platonic thing" and he had only slept on "the edge of the bed".
The professional conduct panel, which convened in January and delivered its findings last week, considered that Mr Stockston demonstrated a "high level of remorse" and was "truly apologetic for his conduct", and that his actions were an "isolated, regrettable lapse of judgement".
The panel found all the allegations against Mr Stockton proven, with a representative of the Secretary of State for Education subsequently barring Mr Stockton from teaching to "maintain public confidence in the profession".
Now Wolverhampton's St Peter's Collegiate Church, which Mr Stockton joined last year as director of music, has confirmed that he was suspended from that role following the publication of the findings.
A spokesperson for the church said: "As a result of the Teaching Regulation Agency's clear and serious adjudication, St Peter's Collegiate Church, Wolverhampton, has moved swiftly to suspend Mr Stockton from his role as director of music.
"He has not, however, worked in the parish since the Parochial Church Council learned of the Teachers' Regulation Agency's adjudication, in practice immediately following its publication on February 10, and so was removed from contact with children and young people at the church since then."
The spokesperson added: "Having suspended Mr Stockton, the Parochial Church Council will immediately take forward church safeguarding processes in conjunction with the Lichfield Diocese's safeguarding team to review the impact of Mr Stockton's tenure, and undertake risk assessments.
"The parish will also carry out the obligatory employer's investigation process as swiftly as possible."
The Venerable Liz Jackson, Archdeacon of Walsall, said she was grateful that Mr Stockton's conduct was brought to light.
She said: "For the sake of the people involved in the TRA's adjudication and the safety of children and young people in the parish's care at St Peter's Church, we are grateful that Mr Stockton's conduct described in the TRA's adjudication has come to light, and prompted us to take prompt action.
"We hold those affected in our prayers."
The prohibition order was imposed on January 21, barring Mr Stockton from teaching indefinitely.
He will not be able to apply for it to be set aside until January 29, 2028.