Warrington teacher sent 'I was horny' message to child and asked 'you gay yet?'

Lianne Barclay, a food technology teacher, has been permanently barred from teaching in England

A former teacher who sent inappropriate messages to a child, including "I was horny," and "you gay yet?", has been banned from teaching. Lianne Barclay, 43, was employed at Bridgewater High School in Warrington when questions arose about her conduct towards a child.

A Teacher Regulation Agency (TRA) panel, which met last month, heard that Miss Barclay, who had worked as a food technology teacher at the school in Appleton since 2017 and resigned whilst under investigation in 2019, had been found sending messages and voice notes - as well as making phone calls - to a child who was not a pupil at her school.

Multiple messages - sent between roughly March and July 2019 - were found to be sexual in nature, discussing elements of Miss Barclay's and the child's sexuality. The Liverpool Echo reports that the TRA panel determined her conduct was sexually motivated and constituted a failure to maintain appropriate professional boundaries with a child under 16.

The panel's report includes extracts from some of the messages and voice recordings Miss Barclay sent to Child A. In one exchange, Child A asked Miss Barclay "How long ago did you come out?", to which the former teacher replied, before stating: "I was horny."

In further messages examined by the panel, Miss Barclay wrote: "I'm NOT QUIET," alongside "F*** yes f*** yes." She also sent: "My neighbours hate me", "I do", "all night", "when I'm this horny" and "Yes all night."

The panel also drew attention to a separate conversation in which Miss Barclay wrote: "I like sex", "sorry" and "why I like younger ones - more Stanina", "LOL". The panel interpreted the term "Stanina" as a typing mistake, concluding that the intended word was "stamina", which could be deduced from the reference to sex with younger individuals.

In another exchange, Miss Barclay asked Child A: "Brilliant, you gay yet? ?", which the panel determined to be a personal email discussing Child A's sexuality. Further messages saw Miss Barclay write: "Can't wait for a cuddle", "you're mine," and "I will never stop loving you."

The TRA panel found that irrespective of Miss Barclay's intentions, the content of the messages sent to Child A were "by their very nature sexual and concerned Miss Barclay's private life." These messages were regarded as personal in nature.

The TRA panel also examined voice notes sent from Miss Barclay to Child A. One said: "Hey baby don't get them red bed sheets. I don't like them red bed sheets, no, can you get the blue ones cos you know that your girlfriend's favourite colour is blue. Yes."

Another voice note from the former teacher heard her say: "I am a mother f*****g princess don't you dare call me a d***head you get those sheets that I want or you ain't sleeping in bed with me tonight b****."

After concerns were raised, Child A was questioned by police in August 2019. Prior to the start of the new academic year on 2nd September, Miss Barclay was suspended from Bridgewater High School in Warrington, Cheshire. She was interviewed by officers on 18th October 2019.

Miss Barclay resigned from her position at the school on 31st August 2020, although the school's investigation continued. The police enquiry concluded on 26th April 2021, with no further action being taken.

The panel found that whilst Child A was not a pupil at the school where Miss Barclay worked, she was a student at another establishment, and Miss Barclay "ought to have recognised that it was not appropriate use of social media to engage in communications with a child of the nature of that found proven."

Furthermore, the panel "considered that the voice messages contained inappropriate language to be used by a teacher towards a child." The frequency and timing of telephone communications also constituted a breach of professional boundaries.

In her defence, Miss Barclay asserted she had developed a friendship with Child A and because Child A wasn't her student, she didn't associate her teaching position with their interactions.

In her submissions to the panel, she insisted that Child A was considered a family friend, describing her as "like a little sister to her" and saying she would "love a daughter like her". She contended that "cuddling" is standard within family relationships and non-sexual cuddling isn't improper.

She also stated her belief that "as a middle-aged homosexual woman these allegations are homophobic and discriminatory," contending that the presumption of sexual intent lacked evidential support. She offered her apologies to Child A's family and all those impacted, saying: "I am truly sorry."

The panel determined it was more likely than not that the messages represented the early stages of what would have developed into a sexual relationship, at least from Miss Barclay's viewpoint.

In its verdict, the panel found that Miss Barclay had committed unacceptable professional conduct and that her behaviour risked bringing the teaching profession into disrepute.

In his written decision, Marc Cavey, chief executive of the TRA, confirmed that Miss Barclay would face a teaching ban. He said: "This means that Miss Lianne Barclay is prohibited from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children's home in England.

"Furthermore, in view of the seriousness of the allegations found proved against her, I have decided that Miss Barclay shall not be entitled to apply for restoration of her eligibility to teach."

Miss Barclay's LinkedIn profile indicates she is from Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside, and is now working in a different industry.