Teacher who filmed sexual abuse banned from teaching indefinitely
Zoe Williams, jailed in 2023 for sexually abusing a child with her partner, receives an indefinite teaching ban.
A Northumberland primary school teacher has been banned from teaching indefinitely by the Teaching Regulation Agency after a hearing in August. Zoe Williams was jailed for 10 years in November 2023 for several offences, including filming herself and her paedophile partner engaging in sexual activity with a child.
Her co-defendant, Thomas Surtees, was jailed for 15 years. The court heard Williams and Surtees had been influenced by alcohol or drugs at the time, and the judge said it was hard to credit that neither shared an interest in paedophilia. The case also involved graphic messages in which Williams allegedly encouraged further abuse, and the judge noted that Williams used her teaching role to facilitate the offences.
In its ruling, the Teaching Regulation Agency said Williams showed no insight or remorse and fell well short of the professional standards expected of teachers. The panel determined that banning her indefinitely from teaching in England was in the public interest and she was not given the right to seek restoration of her qualifications. Williams' case highlights ongoing safeguarding efforts to protect children from harm by individuals working with them.