Townend was also placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

An Education Regulatory Agency conduct committee heard that Townend had been employed as a teacher by the school from September 1996 to August 2002.

The panel noted that there was no evidence to suggest that he abused his position of trust as a teacher while working in a teaching environment or with his own students.

However, it was found that he held a position of trust with the victim and her family and had abused this in order to facilitate a sexual relationship.

The panel said he raised the “alleged” offense in a letter to them in 2023, despite being convicted of the offense and serving his sentence.

Decision-maker Marc Cavey ultimately decided that Townend would never teach in any school, sixth form, youth accommodation or children’s home in England, and would not have the right to apply for his eligibility to teach to be reinstated.

“In this case, I placed considerable weight on the very serious nature of Mr Townend’s misconduct, involving sexual activity with a child and what the panel describes as ‘calculated and motivated’ behavior by his leaves,” he said in his conclusion.

“I also gave weight to the panel’s comments regarding the lack of evidence that Mr. Townend was fully aware of his actions or was remorseful.”