Priory City of Lincoln Academy. | Photo: School website
An art teacher in Lincoln was sacked for letting teenage girls do a topless photoshoot in the classroom cupboard.
Karen Hutchinson, 46, who was the head of art at the Priory City of Lincoln Academy, lent her camera to an 18-year-old to take shots of her 17-year-old classmate for a project on the female form.
The store room was then locked to make sure they were not disturbed before Hutchinson downloaded the photos and emailed them to one of the girls from her own account.
The pictures showing the girl’s torso only were included in the student’s portfolio and seen by external examiners.
Hutchinson was immediately suspended and later sacked from her position.
She aid she thought the girl was 18, but it is believed she admitted failing to maintain professional boundaries.
A professional conduct panel was convened to consider to case on December 10 and 11.
The proceedings were held in Coventry. The hearing reportedly likened it to sending child pornography and said she displayed a serious lapse of judgement, but ruled that no further action would be taken.
The full outcomes of teacher misconduct hearings are usually published online around two weeks after the hearing.
Priory City of Lincoln Academy Headteacher Richard Trow said: “The academy’s senior team was alerted to the issue and within three working days had completed its initial inquiries, contacted all the relevant authorities and suspended Ms Hutchinson, who was subsequently dismissed after a disciplinary investigation.
“The images and artwork were never on display in the academy. They were of the torso only and were used by the student as additional reference material for their final exam piece, an abstract painting.
“The exam took place in the same week as our initial inquiry.
“The Teaching Regulation Agency was fully supportive of the swift, decisive and appropriate actions taken by the academy.”
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A local man was arrested on suspicion of drink driving and dangerous driving after two pedestrians were injured in a collision with a car and three parked vehicles in Skegness.
Lincolnshire Police officers attended the scene after the collision between a blue Citroen Berlingo, the parked vehicles, and a man and a woman, who are both in their 60s, on Winthorpe Avenue shortly before 7pm on Friday, April 16.
The two pedestrians suffered serious injuries and were taken to hospital. However, their injuries are not thought to be life threatening.
A 63-year-old local man, who was driving the Berlingo, was arrested on suspicion of drink driving and dangerous driving. He has since been released under investigation.
Police are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage and anyone with information should contact them on 101 or via email at [email protected] quoting incident number 389 of April 16.
Few people attended the second Kill the Bill protest in Lincoln on Saturday, as Extinction Rebellion activists stood alone on the High Street to campaign against a proposed policing bill that could make many protests illegal.
Activists from Extinction Rebellion Lincolnshire gathered at Speakers’ Corner to oppose plans for the latest Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, which could curtail protesting rights if passed through parliament.
Extinction Rebellion were the main representatives at the protest. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Under the proposed bill, police officers will be given greater powers to put a stop to any protests, as well as determining start and finish times for them, and controlling noise levels.
A few stopped to talk with the protestors, but most just went about their day walking down Lincoln High Street in the first weekend that non-essential shops and beer gardens reopened.
The Lincolnite spoke to one of the rebels at the protest, to find out the reasons behind the march.
They said: “This draconian bill cannot go ahead, it needs to be taken apart and re-evaluted completely.
“People have been walking past us shaking their heads, but they don’t realise that it’s their freedom we are fighting for.”
The Lincolnite photographer Steve Smailes captured some pictures from the protest.
Signs were put up by the works at Speakers’ Corner on Lincoln High Street. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
A 19-year-old man is in hospital with serious injuries after a crash on the A52 on Friday evening.
The single-vehicle crash, involving a white Suzuki Splash, happened in the westbound lane of the A52 between Barrowby and Sedgebrook at around 7.20pm on Friday, April 16.
The driver of the car is now in hospital after suffering serious injuries, and police are appealing for witnesses to come forward.
Officers believe the driver had travelled from Grantham on the A52 at Barrowby before the crash.
Anyone who has dashcam footage or saw the vehicle before the incident is being asked to call 101, quoting incident 420 of April 16.
Alternatively, you can email [email protected], using the same reference in the subject box.