A BNP member posted comments on the internet describing some immigrants as “savage animals” and “filth” while working as a technology teacher at a North-East school, a hearing was told yesterday.

The General Teaching Council (GTC) heard that Adam Walker used a school laptop to access an online forum in which he claimed parts of Britain were a “dumping ground” for the Third World.

Mr Walker, who resigned from Houghton Kepier Sports College, in Houghton-le- Spring, near Sunderland, in 2007, is the first teacher to appear before the GTC accused of racial intolerance.

GTC presenting officer Bradley Albuery alleged the postings made by the former soldier demonstrated views suggestive of both racial and religious intolerance.

Mr Albuery said Mr Walker, from Spennymoor, County Durham, used the pseudonym Corporal Fox to make the postings to a forum on Teessideonline, during February and March 2007.

In one posting, Mr Walker claimed the BNP had risen in popularity because “they are the only party who are making a stand and are prepared to protect the rights of citizens against the savage animals New Labour and Bliar (sic) are filling our communities with”.

In another posting, he wrote: “By following recent media coverage of illegal animals and how they are allowed to stay here despite committing heinous crimes, I am, to say the very least, disgusted.”

Mr Walker, who stood as the BNP candidate for Bishop Auckland during the recent General Election, is alleged to have spent more than eight hours using the laptop for purposes not connected to his school duties.

The teacher’s trade union representative, Patrick Harrington, submitted that none of the terms used by Mr Walker had demonstrated racial or religious intolerance.

Mr Harrington said: “Immigrant is not a racial term. Immigrant is simply a description of people moving to one country from another country – immigrants comprise of all different races.”

He claimed that assumptions had been made about Mr Walker’s views because of his membership of the BNP.

In a statement, Mr Walker stressed that he had not communicated his political thoughts and beliefs to staff or pupils.

His statement said: “I have certainly never discriminated against an individual on grounds of race, faith or sexuality.”

He added: “With the value of hindsight I now regret making any personal use of the internet during lesson time. I would like to apologise for it.”

Mr Walker, who previously lived and worked as a teacher in Japan and married a Japanese woman, said he had been influenced by media coverage of a female PC shot dead by two illegal immigrants and the murder of British hostage Ken Bigley in Iraq.

“Looking back now I feel that I was unduly influenced by the hostile climate the media created,” said Mr Walker.

“This led me to express intemperate views which lacked complexity and balance.”

He added: “I have never condemned all immigrants or asylum seekers. My comments relate to those I perceive as coming to our country and committing criminal offences or otherwise behaving badly.”

The hearing continues.