August 2023

Lifetime ban for ex-Heysham school teacher found guilty of sex crimes with pupil

A disgraced head of year at a Heysham school who groomed and committed sexual offences against an underage girl has now been banned from teaching.

Nicola Furney of Morecambe was handed a 21 week jail sentence in 2021 after she pleaded guilty to two counts of engaging in sexual activity with a girl under the age of 18 years old and one count of engaging in sexual communication with a child.

Furney had already been sacked by Heysham High School – now known as Bay Leadership Academy – ahead of the sentencing hearing.

Reports at the time of her conviction heard that she molested the child’s leg after offering her a lift in her car, and admitted kissing her in another incident at her home.

Furney, 39, received further sanction in July as the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) issued her with an indefinite ban from the profession.

That means she will never be allowed to teach in any school, sixth form college, youth accommodation or children’s home in England and will not be allowed to apply to restore her eligibility.

In 2021, Furney – then of Marine Road West – was made to sign the Sex Offender’s Register for seven years.

She was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention order for the same length of time.