Thousands of paedophiles, drug dealers and violent thugs caught trying to get jobs as teachers

Paedophiles, violent thugs and drug dealers were among more than 4,000 offenders who applied to become teachers last year despite having almost 10,000 criminal convictions between them.

Criminal records checks revealed four convictions for child sex offences, including one for a sex attack on a girl under 13, as well as three convictions for assaulting or neglecting a child.

The Criminal Records Bureau said that, to date, checks had helped to stop more than 130,000 unsuitable people from working with children.

The figures, released under the Freedom of Information Act, revealed that the 263,477 checks carried out on applicants for teaching posts in 2011 identified 4,098 with 9,493 convictions between them. Read More