Gun teacher loses sacking appeal

Linda Walker said the youths had terrorised her family

A teacher who was jailed for firing a pellet gun near a group of youths has lost her appeal to get her job back.

Linda Walker, 48, was suspended from her job at New Park High School in Salford after being convicted of affray and possessing a firearm in March.

She was jailed for six months but freed on appeal on 4 May. She was sacked by Salford Council which found her guilty of gross misconduct.

A panel of school governors upheld the decision that she should be dismissed.

The three governers took seven hours to come to a decision.

Public sympathy

Her trial was told she had received nuisance phone calls abusing her family. Her garden shed had been broken into, while her garden and a car had been vandalised.

But no evidence was produced that any of the youths she confronted were involved in the vandalism.

Her case gained much public sympathy, with 10,000 people signing a petition calling for her release from jail.

Mother of two Ms Walker, a teacher for 25 years, later told a newspaper she felt "crucified" by what had happened to her.

At a hearing at the Court of Appeal, three judges gave her a conditional discharge, but refused her permission to challenge her convictions.