A Hamilton primary teacher who hit a woman with a belt and poured cleaning fluids over her has avoided being struck off.
Charles Tighe, who taught at Beckford Primary School, admitted assaulting three separate women.
He attacked one and pushed her against a wall, threw her to the floor and emptied a linen basket over her.
Tighe also struck her on the head as she held a child, threw her on a bed and emptied a bucket of cleaning materials and fluids over her.
He also struck her with a belt and repeatedly slapped and shook her.
Tighe targeted another female and repeatedly shook her and pinned her to the floor.
He also repeatedly sent text messages to another woman, which caused her "fear and alarm" a year after assaulting her and forcibly removing a child from her arms.
His campaign of violence stretched between 2007 and 2018, before he was prosecuted in 2019 and handed unpaid work as well as being put under supervision for 18 months at Lanark Sheriff Court.
Tighe was hauled before a panel of the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS), where he admitted his criminal convictions but insisted he was fit to teach.
After hearing evidence, the GTCS decided not to strike him off and imposed conditions on his registration for the next two years.
The tribunal heard he had been suspended since November 2017 and was sacked in June the following year and had not worked since.
Giving evidence at his hearing, Tighe, who had been teaching for 14 years, said: "I have never been the subject of disciplinary proceedings and I have never had concerns raised about my fitness to teach.
"I would love nothing more than to return to primary teaching. I admitted to the allegations entirely and I admit that I fell far short of the standards expected of a teacher.
"I do not admit that my fitness to teach is currently impaired. I have reflected heavily on my own actions and I have taken steps to address my behaviour."
In a written ruling, the GTCS said: "The panel noted that there had been no repetition of the behaviour once issues were raised with the relevant authorities and that the teacher had fully complied with court imposed sentencing conditions.
"It had determined that there was a low likelihood of reoccurrence.
"The panel noted the teacher's firm commitment to returning to classroom teaching were he to be permitted to do so and was therefore of the view that workable conditions could be imposed which would ensure public protection, and most importantly protection of children and young people."
They added: "The panel felt that the teacher came across as genuine and honest.
"He had answered some uncomfortable questions about his conduct in a composed and controlled manner and his evidence was consistent with all the facts known, and with evidence he had previously provided.
"The panel considered that whilst the shortfalls lay at the most serious end of the spectrum, they were capable of being remedied."
*Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here .
And did you know Lanarkshire Live is on Facebook? Why not head to our page and give us a like and share.
