£300,000 bill for teacher's suspension

The union says the experience has been very difficult

A teacher has been suspended from his job on full pay for the past seven years over allegations of abuse, even though charges have never been brought.

It is estimated the cost to tax-payers has been £300,000 in terms of salary, pension and legal fees.

Now a union leader is calling for an investigation into why the matter has not been resolved.

Anthony McNally, 54, was suspended from Woodhey School in Greater Manchester in 1995 after a 15-year-old boy accused him of touching him inappropriately.

He was cleared of impropriety after investigations by the police and the school governors, but the local education authority kept him away from the school on suspension.

New allegation

The case went to the Appeal Court, which last year said Mr McNally had not been guilty of misconduct.

But in the meantime, the council continued to investigate his conduct after a new allegation was made in 2000.

The police investigated both alleged incidents but did not press charges.

Mr McNally belongs to the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT).

The union says the length of the investigation is intolerable and that it wants an inquiry.

The Department for Education and Skills says it has a team of officials whose job it is to make sure such cases are dealt with fairly and quickly.

A spokesperson said: "A balance must be struck between protecting pupils and ensuring teachers do not have their careers damaged by false allegations.

"It's right that teachers have access to the full process of judicial review, which by its thorough nature, will necessarily take time."