A former science teacher in Warwickshire has been permanently banned from teaching after a disciplinary panel found he attempted to record a pupil undressing using a hidden camera embedded in a pen. Matthew Udall, 33, was convicted in 2022 on charges of inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity and attempting to observe a person engaged in a private act.

The misconduct came to light when Udall gave the girl a pen equipped with a concealed camera, encouraging her to use it to write in a journal at home without disclosing its recording capabilities. He instructed her to change clothes before using the pen. The pupil noticed the camera lens on the pen and reported her concerns to a friend and another teacher, who then notified the school’s head.

Following his arrest, Udall pleaded guilty and received a 31-month prison sentence. A Teaching Regulation Panel reviewed his case and determined that, although there was no evidence his attempts at recording were successful, his intentions were evident from the court’s findings. The panel concluded that his actions were motivated by sexual intent and posed a significant risk of harm to the child.

The panel imposed an indefinite prohibition on Udall’s ability to teach, citing the serious nature of his conduct and the potential danger it represented. The ban was issued without the possibility of a future review, as the panel expressed doubt that the risk of reoffending could be reliably assessed or deemed low.

Udall had been employed as a science teacher at a Warwickshire school prior to the incident. The case highlights ongoing concerns about safeguarding and the responsibility of educational institutions to protect pupils from abuse.