Local teacher banned for sending sexual messages to ex-pupil

Adam McCullagh, 32, was a teacher at Haydock High School, now Outwood Academy in Haydock, from September 1, 2017 until he resigned from his role on June 29, 2021, having been suspended earlier that year.

A teacher regulation panel met in December 2023 to discuss a range of allegations made against Mr McCullagh, who was accused of sending sexually motivated Instagram and Snapchat messages in August and September 2020 to a pupil who had just left the school.

The panel heard that Student 1 said Mr McCullagh had begun messaging on Instagram on August 20, 2020, “wishing her the best for the future and told her that if she ever needed anything he was only around the corner”.

In one Instagram message he wrote: “I’d say that I’d go out and celebrate with you but that might be a bit weird haha”.

Another added: “I know one way I’d like to shut you up” and added: “I’ll stop my weird mood before I get myself sacked”.

He was also alleged to have sent messages to the student on Snapchat which included an “image of him with his hands down his pants”. Mr McCullagh admitted that he had exchanged messages via Instagram with Student 1 and that he “should not have done that”.

However he denied having sent any messages via Snapchat, stating that he does, “not use Snapchat”.

But the panel ruled that “on the balance of probabilities, it was more likely than not” that he had.

The police were also contacted over the matter and the Crown Prosecution Service “returned the decision of no further action”, the hearing heard.

The hearing heard that the panel “was satisfied that the conduct of Mr McCullagh amounted to misconduct of a serious nature which fell significantly short of the standards expected of the profession”.

The panel's outcome which was published last week, in which Mr McCullagh did not attend, banned him from teaching anywhere in England indefinitely.