A TEACHER at a specialist education unit has been suspended after being found guilty of kissing a 14-year-old pupil and making sexual remarks to a class at a previous school.

Danish Bilha Maider Khan, 31, who has worked at Stratton Education Centre and Riverside since 2006, was last month found guilty of two counts of misconduct by a General Teaching Council for Wales professional conduct committee.

It related to allegations dating back to 2004 and 2005 while he was a teacher at two separate schools in Gwent, South Wales, before he was employed by Swindon Council.

Since the allegations came to light last month, the council has suspended him while it conducts its own investigation and waits for the GTCW’s decision on sanctions.

Two parents contacted the Adver after reading about allegations against Mr Khan and the GTCW decision, raising concerns as to whether their children were at risk.

Mr Khan had denied both allegations but, following a two-day hearing on June 15, the committee concluded he made sexual and inappropriate remarks to a class at Cwmcarn High School between September 2004 and January 2005.

It also ruled he had an inappropriate relationship with a female pupil at West Mon comprehensive school, in Pontypool, in March 2005, which had involved the pair kissing in a science room.

The second allegation, which included emails sent from Mr Khan’s account to the pupil, was investigated by Gwent Police in 2008, but the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to prosecute.

During the hearing, the teacher claimed the remarks allegation was based on malicious falsehoods. He said the school’s investigation process was flawed, as pupils were able to collaborate on their evidence before making statements and he claimed a former friend of his had sent four of six emails to the 14-year-old girl.

Later messages referred to a “snog” with the teenager and mentioned a science room in which the teenager told police the incident occurred.

His friend told the hearing he had made up the references to “snog” and “science room.”

Mr Khan admitted to a “stupid mistake” in contacting the teenager three years after leaving West Mon, but said he sent only the first two emails.

The committee concluded that Mr Khan committed unacceptable professional conduct falling short of the standard expected of a registered teacher. The hearing was adjourned and sanctions will be imposed at a later date.

A spokesman for the General Teaching Council for Wales said: “I can confirm that two counts of unacceptable professional conduct were found proven against Danish Khan at a hearing on June 18. The hearing was adjourned to a date to be fixed. The case was referred to the GTCW on the 26 July 2010.”

A spokesman for Swindon Council said it was unaware of the allegations at the time it employed Mr Khan, who was put through the standard vetting procedure.

“Mr Khan was suspended from his job at Stratton Education Centre in June this year immediately after these allegations came to light, as is normal when allegations such as this are made,” he said.

“He remains suspended. We are carrying out our own investigation, which is not yet complete, and we are also awaiting the judgment of the GTC in Wales.

“Our decision about his future employment therefore depends on the outcome of our investigation and the level of the sanction that the GTC choose to impose.

“One of the sanctions available to the GTC is a prohibitive order, which prevents anyone subject to it from working as a teacher in England or Wales.

“Mr Khan went through all the normal checks that are made when employing a teacher, which include gaining references from previous employers, in 2006.

“There was nothing on his record which prevented him from being employed. The allegations were not made until after this date.”