A FORMER teacher convicted of child sex offences is facing a lifetime ban from the profession.

David Goodwin is due to face a misconduct hearing after he sent sexual messages to who he thought was a 12-year-old girl last year.

The former teacher was employed by Furness Academy when he was caught by a police officer posing as the child online.

Prosecutors said he asked the girl to 'strip naked' and send images of herself to him.

Goodwin admitted that he sent a number of messages to an account presenting as the girl in April last year.

He also admitted attempting to cause a child to look at an image of sexual activity, namely him performing a sex act on himself.

Prosecutors said he asked the girl to 'strip naked' and send images of herself to him.

Goodwin is now listed to appear before a Teaching Regulation Agency professional conduct panel.

A listing said: "Notice is hereby given that, in accordance with The Teachers’ Disciplinary (England) Regulations 2012, a professional conduct panel has been convened to consider the case of Mr David Goodwin formerly employed in Cumbria, north west England.

"This professional conduct panel meeting will take place in private.

"The outcome of this professional conduct panel meeting will not be announced in public." 

The hearing is due to take place on January 6.

According to the TRA, if the panel finds there has been 'unacceptable professional conudct' or a 'conviction, at any time, of a relevant offence', it must make a judgment about whether to recommend a prohibition order for the teacher.

The then 38-year-old, of Broughton Road in Dalton, avoided prison when he was sentenced in December last year.

Sentencing, His Honour Judge Medland KC said: "You are a man of previous good character.

"You have behaved in a way that is completely out of character for you.

"Children are just that, children, and they are entitled to be treated as that and not sexual objects.

"It is plain to me that you are ridden with remorse."

The judge took into account his mitigation and decided to suspend the prison sentence.

For attempting to sexually communicate with a child he received an 18-month prison sentence suspended for two years and for attempting to get the child to look at an image of sexual activity he received a nine-month prison sentence suspended for two years.

As part of the suspended sentence order, he was ordered to undertake 20 days of a rehabilitation activity requirement.

The judge put in place a sexual harm prevention order for ten year.

Furness Academy headteacher Simon Laheney said previously: "The school takes the safeguarding of its students very seriously and can confirm that all regulatory and statutory obligations have been fulfilled and complied with proactively, comprehensively and consistently.”