A school teacher who communicated with an underage student via social media and provided her with alcohol has been fined £500. Richard James Pugh, 41, who was the head of the science department at Llangatwg Community School in Neath, South Wales, was found guilty of giving the girl, whose identity remains confidential, a Christmas card signed with a kiss and various gifts, including a canned cocktail. The student expressed feeling “vulnerable” and “exposed” due to Pugh’s unwanted attention.
During the court proceedings, the judge criticized Pugh for violating the trust associated with his profession and attempting to shift blame onto the student. Testifying via video link, the girl recounted how Pugh, a teacher with 13 years of experience, placed a gift bag in her school bag containing alcohol, snacks, and a signed Christmas card.
The student revealed that Pugh also gifted her with a Nando’s food voucher and a vape, all found in a gift bag inside her school bag. Pugh, who is currently unemployed and has no plans to return to teaching, initially denied the charge of supplying alcohol to a minor but later pleaded guilty. He disputed the claim that he provided the items in a gift bag, suggesting that the student had taken them herself from a classroom.
The defendant maintained that he had instructed the student to help herself to unwanted items in the classroom, which he believed were to be discarded. He argued that the student must have placed the items in a gift bag on her own, and refuted the allegation of directly providing her with alcohol.
Despite the prosecutor’s assertions of an inappropriate relationship, Pugh denied forming such a connection with the student but admitted to giving her a Christmas card signed with a kiss. Pugh’s defense counsel acknowledged that he had given alcohol to the student but contended that it was not accompanied by other items in a gift bag.
In a victim impact statement, the student expressed how Pugh’s actions had negatively impacted her education and made her feel unsafe at school. The judge imposed a fine of £500, along with additional court surcharges and prosecution costs to be paid in installments. Additionally, a restraining order was granted against Pugh, prohibiting any direct or indirect contact with the student or any mention of her on social media for a period of 12 months.