A TEACHER at a Liverpool school has been told he will never work with children again – after being cleared of sexually assaulting a former pupil.

A tribunal has concluded the government was right to ban Barrie George White, 29, from working with children because he admitted sending sexually explicit texts to the 16-year-old ex-student.

He also admitted performing a sex act in front of a webcam the teenager was watching with a friend.

Mr White, of Cornflower Way, Moreton, was acquitted of sexually assaulting the teenager when he appeared at Liverpool Crown Court in 2008.

But, in 2009, the Government’s education department barred him from taking any job where he will come into contact with youngsters

Mr White, who was also found with an indecent image on his computer, challenged the decision to ban him at the Care Standards Tribunal in London.

But the panel upheld the earlier ruling, describing his behaviour as “unprofessional and a breach of trust”.

The tribunal concluded: “The potential impact of the webcam incident on the two girls was serious and upsetting.”

The tribunal heard the history teacher befriended the teenager pupil at his school.

And after she left, in June, 2006, the pair contacted each other by mobile phone.

He asked the girl about sex acts and whether she had lesbian experiences and gave her a lift in his car. After their relationship came to light, Mr White admitted being in contact via text message, the internet and videolink, and later told police that his behaviour was “morally and professionally wrong”.

The Care Standards Tribunal took into account that the indecent image found on Mr White’s computer had been sent to him, and after he opened it he felt “sickened” and returned it immediately.

It also considered his remorse, “low state” in the summer of 2006 and belief he no longer had a duty of care towards the girl.

But the tribunal, which heard evidence from Mr White ruled: “He knew that the pupil had a crush on him and he was flattered by this and took advantage.”

It added: “He implied that the pupil had egged him on in the matter and failed to grasp she was a child and he had a duty of care for her even when she turned 16 and had ‘just’ left his school.”

Mr White, who now works in adult education, was accused of touching the pupil indecently after she had left the school.

However, the trial at Liverpool crown court was eventually halted after the girl gave her evidence that she had never objected to the touching.

The prosecution had conceded that the girl had a crush on Mr White.

The trial heard she had nicknamed him Ewan after the actor, Ewan McGregor, because of their shared love of Star Wars.

Mr White had always denied he had touched the teenager’s backside and thighs inappropriately.