Governors still to decide if cleared teacher can return

A series of meetings have been held to discuss whether Joseph Kerr should be allowed to return to the Darlington comprehensive after being cleared of two sex assaults on a 15-year-old girl.

The 44-year-old drama teacher has been suspended from the school since the allegations were made in November 2004.

He was cleared by a jury at Teesside Crown Court last month after they found him not guilty of two counts of sexual activity with a child.

The girl had claimed he touched her during an after-hours dance tuition and in a school corridor the following day.

A Darlington Borough council spokesman said last night: "We are in discussions with Mr Kerr about the matter.

"It is a personal matter between an employee and ourselves and it would be inappropriate to comment further."

In an exclusive interview with The Northern Echo after the case, Mr Kerr, formerly of Woodland Road, Darlington, told of his "18 months of hell".

He said the allegations had left his career in ruins and devastated his life.

The teacher and former actor said: "I had to leave Darlington because of this.

"I am still not teaching. All this about being innocent before being proven guilty is rubbish.

"Once you are suspended and not at school, people talk. My life as far as teaching there is done.

"My career is destroyed at that school."

The headteacher of the school, which The Northern Echo has chosen not to name, said: "There have been various meetings but it is out of my hands at the moment.

"Darlington Borough Council's human resources department is dealing with it."

The girl involved in the proceedings, who cannot be named, said last night that she had begun to put the court case behind her.

Now aged 17, she said: "It was very stressful giving evidence to a room full of strangers.

"My mam had to give evidence too and she has been a great support.

"I am hoping to put it all behind me now. I really love dancing and I am going to concentrate on that."