A TEACHER who was cautioned by police after cocaine was found at his home and he tested positive for the drug has been spared being struck off for life.

Although he has been banned from the country’s classrooms following a disciplinary hearing, William Evans, 38, who taught design and technology at Queen Elizabeth Humanities College in Bromyard, has been told he could be allowed to return to teaching after three years.

He was banned following a National College of Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) hearing in Coventry

The NCTL's Dawn Dandy ruled that Evans can seek to have the ban lifted after three years if he proves he is fit to return to teaching.

Evans had admitted the allegations against him but had denied that his actions could bring the teaching profession into disrepute, but the NCTL disagreed.

Evans began teaching at Queen Elizabeth in January 2013 and resigned on October 22 last year after receiving a police caution on October 2 regarding the cocaine offence.

His home had been searched by police following his arrest in relation to a matter for which no further action was taken.

The NCTL report said: “During that search a number of small, self-seal, clear plastic bags containing remains of cocaine, a Class A drug, were discovered. Mr Evans admitted the possession of cocaine for his personal use and also tested positive for cocaine. Whilst in police custody he asked for an assessment from a drugs counsellor."

The NCTL panel said he should be banned “indefinitely” from teaching but, because he was described as an “outstanding teacher” in a reference from the Queen Elizabeth head, and he expressed his remorse for what he had done, they took the view that he should be given the opportunity to seek to have the ban lifted.

In many cases they deal with the NCTL impose lifetime bans with no opportunity for those involved to seek to return to teaching.

In imposing the ban, Ms Dandy said she had taken into consideration comments from the NCTL panel that the ban proposed would give him time to “reflect on how his conduct is viewed by others and consider the influence that teachers may have on pupils, parents and others in the community.”

It is open to Evans to mount a High Court challenge to the findings and the ban, if he wishes.