Milton Keynes primary school teacher, 38, banned after sending sexually explicit images to child

Ross Bullen had taught at Priory Rise School on Tattenhoe Park since 2019 when a complaint was made in 2023 that resulted in his dismissal – but it did not involve a pupil at the school.

And this month his case went before to a Teacher Misconduct Panel, which imposed a teaching ban that cannot be appealed for at least two years.

The panel heard a 15-year-old, who they referred to only as Peron A, had complained to police after receiving several photos via Snapchat showing Mr Bullen in “various states of undress” in what appeared to be a bathroom or bedroom.

Person A said he had been added to Snapchat by ‘RossAlex’, Mr Bullen’s username, and had engaged initially in “innocuous” conversation with him. But then he began to receive unsolicited explicit images and videos and became concerned enough to do some DIY detective work.

The panel documents state: “Person A’s evidence was that he believed Mr Bullen to be a teacher based on an image he had seen of Mr Bullen in what appeared to be a school.

"Therefore, he logged onto Snapchat maps during the school day and located Mr Bullen at the school. Following this, he was able to identify Mr Bullen by comparing the images he had received to the teacher’s found on the school’s website... Person A reported this to Mr Bullen’s school.”

Mr Bullen’s evidence throughout was that he did not send Person A explicit images, but he did use Snapchat to send explicit images to “consenting adults”. However, he also confirmed that he accepted all connection requests on Snapchat without looking at their names or establishing their ages when he accepted them.

The allegation that he sent sexually explicit images to Person A was found proven by the panel on the balance of probabilities, as was a second allegation that his conduct was of a sexual nature and/or was sexually motivated.

However, a third accusation that Mr Bullen was aware that Person A was only 15 years old was found unproven.

In defence, the teacher said he had thousands of Snapchat contacts at the time, resulting in the panel accepting he was entitled to use Snapchat and entitled to a private life.

Mr Bullen did not admit the alleged facts of the allegations and denied he was guilty of unacceptable professional conduct and/or conduct that might bring the profession into disrepute.

The panel was not satisfied that his conduct amounted to misconduct of a serious nature which fell significantly short of the standards expected of the profession. Also they noted that it did not involve a pupil at the school. However, they agreed that Mr Bullen’s conduct could “potentially damage the public’s perception of a teacher.”

The documents state: “For these reasons, the panel found that Mr Bullen’s actions constituted conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute.”

It was agreed that Mr Bullen be prohibited from teaching indefinitely, meaning he cannot teach in any school or college.

But the panel decided he may apply for the prohibition order to be set aside any time after 13 August 2028, two years from the date of the order.

You can read the full details of the case here.