A former religious education teacher at a private school in Hertfordshire has been banned from the profession indefinitely after being convicted of making indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children.

Doctor Jonas Green, who had worked as a theology and philosophy teacher at Haberdashers' Boys' School in Elstree since 2007, said "it was thoughtlessness, intellectual arrogance and a lack of empathy which led him to explore what illicit material could be accessed" on the dark web.

On Janury 2, 2020, Bedfordshire Police attended Green’s address after receiving information that an IP address connected to his address had been used on May 30, 2019 to access online child sexual abuse and exploitation material.

Dr Green’s laptop was triaged on scene and discovered to have the TOR network - also known as the dark web - downloaded. 

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He told police he used it to see what could be accessed and whether it was possible to download child abuse on there.

Five indecent images were found - two Category B and three Category C. 

The 48-year-old's employment at the school ended on July 13, 2020 and the matter was referred to the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) on October 16, 2020.

On December 14, 2020 he was convicted of two offences of making an indecent photograph or pseudo-photograph of children on January 2, 2020.

He was ordered to undertake a community order for 12 months, including a rehabilitation activity requirement for 20 days. Green was also placed on the sex offenders' register for five years and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £390.

The TRA has now banned him from teaching indefinitely.

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In a report published last week, it said: "In view of the seriousness of the allegation found proved against him, Dr Green shall not be entitled to apply for restoration of his eligibility to teach."

The TRA panel said: "His conduct ran counter to what should have been at the very core of his practice as a teacher with a duty of care towards children," and "his actions raised obvious and significant public and child protection concerns".

Green, who admitted the allegation "with deepest regret", said he did not access the dark web for any "deviant reasons", and did not appreciate the severe consequences it could have.

Green has a right of appeal to the King’s Bench Division of the High Court.