Teacher cleared of hitting girl

A school teacher has been acquitted of assaulting a 13-year-old girl during a lesson.

Robert Williamson, 63, was accused of hitting the hand of the pupil, who cannot be named for legal reasons, during a design and technology lesson.

But Torbay magistrates heard that he was actually trying to protect her hand at a Devon school on 9 June.

Mr Williamson, of Fern Road, Newton Abbot, Devon, said he felt "let down" by the school.

This should never have gone this far and wouldn't if a little common sense had been used Robert Williamson

The court heard the girl had undergone a number operations on the hand as a result of a scalding accident when she was two.

The latest was an operation a month before the alleged incident.

Mr Williamson denied assaulting the girl by beating and told the court it was not made clear she had a problem with her hand.

He said the pupil was about to drill a hole in a plastic clock face but was not holding the material firmly.

He told magistrates he put his hands on her hand to stop the plastic spinning as it could have shattered and caused an injury.

Chairman of the bench, Justine Merry, said: "Mr Williamson is a man with nothing to hide.

"He didn't realise or have knowledge of her hand problems.

"We find that this was an intentional act by Mr Williamson in that he wanted to prevent an accident to a pupil."

After the hearing Mr Williamson said he would be consulting the National Union of Teachers about possible action against his former school, which he claims did not support him.

"I feel I have been let down," he said. "This should never have gone this far and wouldn't if a little common sense had been used."

He said he hoped to return to teaching as a supply teacher.