Teacher warned over second criminal conviction

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A teacher previously convicted of conspiring to supply a methamphetamine precursor material has been given a warning by the Teachers Council after being convicted of drink-driving.

The woman, who can not be named, believed she was suffering from post traumatic stress at the time.

She had not informed the council of her new conviction, saying she did not realise she had to.

She was caught in October 2012 driving with a breath alcohol level of 607 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath, more than 200 micrograms over the legal limit. She was disqualified from driving for six months and fined $200.

The woman did not appear at the Teachers Tribunal for her hearing, saying in a letter to the panel that as a single mother of six children she could not afford a lawyer or a fine.

However, she said she "fully takes responsibility" for her actions, and said she had not hidden either of her convictions when she applied for a new job in December 2012.

Explaining her personal situation at the time of her offending, she said: "At this time I believed I started to exhibit signs of post traumatic stress as I could not sleep or eat properly."

She attended a psychologist, and had quit her job to stay at home with her children, she said.

The tribunal said it gave "little weight" to her explanatory letter, but said it did not think she should be de-registered for her offence.

"We received no evidence indicating the respondent presents a threat to the public or to school-age children," it said in its decision.

However, if she re-offended again it would be unlikely she could remain as a registered teacher, it said.