19 Sep 2013

Teachers' body deregisters Parker

11:35 am on 19 September 2013

The Teachers Council has censured and deregistered convicted sex offender James Parker.

Parker was convicted last month on 74 charges of unlawful sexual connection and indecencies against young boys, and was sentenced to preventive detention with a minimum of seven years in prison.

The council's disciplinary tribunal says Parker's offences are truly horrendous and it was impossible for it to consider lesser punishments.

It says Parker agreed the tribunal's action was the appropriate response.

The decision is one of the few cases where the disciplinary tribunal has named the teacher involved.

It was criticised recently after it emerged Parker was still registered as a teacher even though he pleaded guilty to some of the charges a year ago.