A Wolverhampton maths teacher who created a high volume of child sex abuse images has been permanently barred from the teaching profession. Timothy Fenn, 26, taught at Ormiston New Academy in Marsh Lane and was convicted in February 2025 of three counts of making indecent images of children, including more than 140 of the most serious Category A type.
Fenn was arrested on September 26, 2022, and immediately suspended by the school. He later pleaded guilty to the charges at Wolverhampton Crown Court and received a suspended prison sentence in May 2025. The Teaching Regulation Agency’s professional conduct panel reviewed his case on April 29, 2026, and recommended a lifetime ban, which was approved by the Secretary of State for Education.
Panel Findings
The panel determined that Fenn’s actions were directly relevant to teaching and working with children, noting that his conviction involved consuming media that directly contributed to the abuse of children. The panel emphasized that teachers must be vigilant against child abuse, and such behavior undermines public trust in the profession.
The judge in the criminal case remarked that Fenn posed a risk of sexual harm to the public. The panel highlighted that the images included sexual abuse of children who appeared to have been drugged, and the high volume of Category A images reflected severe offending.
Public Interest Considerations
The panel weighed the public interest in banning Fenn against retaining him in the profession. While his teaching abilities were not questioned, the adverse impact on public confidence outweighed any benefits. The panel noted that Fenn showed no remorse or insight into his crimes, and a probation report indicated a high sexual risk to children.
Decision maker Stuart Blomfield stated that the lack of evidence of insight raised concerns about repetition of behavior, putting future pupils at risk. He concluded that a prohibition order with no review period was necessary to maintain public confidence in the teaching profession.
Fenn has 28 days to appeal the decision to the High Court.
