A former Liverpool primary school teacher has been banned from the classroom for life after being convicted of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

Alan Harbottle, 52, spent 12 years working at Mosspits Lane Primary School in Wavertree before being caught in a police sting. A teacher regulation agency panel deemed his conviction so severe that he may never work with young people again.

Documents from a private hearing revealed that Harbottle, who was the school's PSHE lead, was targeted by officers posing as a 14-year-old boy online. He was arrested on suspicion of sexual communication with a child in May 2023 and subsequently suspended by the school. Following a disciplinary hearing in September 2023, Harbottle, who also led the school's drama club, was dismissed.

On June 1, 2023, Harbottle appeared at Southend on Sea Magistrates Court and was convicted of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and attempting to meet a child under 16 after grooming them online. He admitted communicating with officers posing as a teenager, exchanging sexually explicit images, and discussing sexual acts.

Harbottle also admitted arranging a meeting with the boy, believing him to be 14 years old. He was sentenced to 10 months' imprisonment suspended for 24 months, ordered to participate in a sexual offender program, complete rehabilitation activities, and barred from working with children. A sexual harm prevention order was also placed on him for ten years.

The court heard that Harbottle began communicating with someone on a dating app who he believed was over 18 but turned out to be an undercover police officer posing as a 14-year-old. Sexualised photographs were exchanged, leading to conversations about intimate sexual behavior. The judge stated that Harbottle was aware of the wrongfulness of his actions but persisted, intending to meet the boy.

The court noted a letter written by Harbottle expressing relief at being caught, suggesting he recognized the potential harm he could have caused. While accepting his remorse and acknowledging his rehabilitation prospects, the Teacher Regulation Agency imposed a lifetime ban on Harbottle from teaching in any educational setting.