A teacher who smugged drugs and phones into a prison has been banned from the profession.
Nicole Finch worked at Newbury Independant School in Birmingham but was jailed for 32 weeks in 2023 after she admitted smuggling drugs, mobile phones and SIM cards into prison in 2019.
She claimed she was threatened and pressured into committing the crime but a judge said her sole motive was money, a teaching Regulation Agency misconduct panel heard.
The panel was told how in 2019 Finch visited a prison inmate and was seen removing a number of packages from her hair before passing them to the prisoner.
These packages were intercepted and found to contain prohibited drugs, seven mobile phones and SIM cards. The prison value of these items was at least £1,850.
Finch had pleaded guilty to the offences, but said that she had carried them out because of threats and pressure.
The trial judge held a hearing to consider her account. Having received evidence, including evidence from her mobile phone messages, he rejected her account, finding that the offence was financially motivated.
He also rejected her claims that she believed she was bringing in tobacco, finding she must have strongly suspected she was bringing in prohibited drugs.
The trial judge concluded she did not plan or initiate the offences.
A teacher who smugged drugs and phones into a prison has been banned from the profession. Nicole Finch worked at Newbury Independant School in Birmingham (pictured) but was jailed in January 2023 for 32 weeks after she admitted smuggling drugs, seven mobile phones and SIM cards into prison in 2019
The panel heard how on in 2019, Finch visited a prison inmate, and was seen to remove a number of packages from her hair and pass them to the prisoner (stock image)
Finch was also caught in posession of a fake driving licence while she was behind the wheel in 2020, the panel heard.
She was also reportedly found to be uninsured to drive the vehicle and convicted of resisting or obstructing a constable by ‘pretending to be someone else’.
Her sentence included a fine and an order disqualifying her from driving for 12 months
But, in 2021 Finch was caught driving while disquilified and was yet again found to be uninsured, the panel heard.
Finch was also found guilty of making off without paying at Birmingham and Solihull Magistrates Court In 2015 it is alleged.
She is banned from teaching for at least the next five years when she could request to be reinstated.
The panel was satisfied that the conduct of Miss Finch involved breaches of the Teachers’ Standards.
The panel noted that although most of Miss Finch’s convictions occurred outside the education setting, she had told the panel that the November 2021 convictions for driving whilst disqualified and without insurance occurred when she was driving between school sites in the course of her work.
