Gurpreet Rheel secures the acquittal of a teacher facing allegations of attending work having consumed alcohol.
Gurpreet Rheel successfully represented a teacher who admitted to attending her place of work having consumed alcohol. The issue for the panel was whether that admitted conduct was serious enough to warrant a finding being made that the conduct amounted to unacceptable professional conduct or conduct bringing the teaching profession into disrepute.
The TRA sought to elevate the seriousness of the admitted conduct by making a case that Gurpreet’s client had exhibited dishonest behaviour on multiple occasions, and had also attended the school having consumed far more alcohol than what had been declared to the point that it impaired her ability to teach. A further matter for the panel to consider was whether the decision for Gurpreet’s client not to take a breath test should lead to adverse inferences being drawn.
The TRA called three witnesses to support their case which through cross examination, Gurpreet was able to secure favourable evidence from them. Thereafter, Gurpreet presented careful submissions which the panel were satisfied they could accept and endorse. As a result, the panel did not find the admitted conduct met the threshold for sanction and further, it refused to draw any negative inferences in respect of the refusal by Gurpreet’s client to take a breath test.