A teacher who failed to report allegations of sexual misconduct against a colleague who was later found to be a rapist has been removed form the teaching register for 18 months.

Ellen Bogie was approached by a vulnerable pupil who told her that Matthew Birch - who was later jailed - had abused her but, instead of reporting the disclosure, Ms Bogie told Birch.

Police were finally informed when the girl returned to the school the next year and spoke to the head teacher about what had happened to her.

Birch was jailed at the High Court in Glasgow for 11 years having been found guilty of raping two pupils and having sex while in a position of trust at schools in Fife and North Lanarkshire.

Ms Bogie, who later quit her job at Woodmill High School in Fife, was told about the claims in 2018 but failed to act.

Fife Council investigated the incident and the teacher, who was principal of music, was given a final written warning in June 2022.

A panel of the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) has ruled she was unfit to teach and her name has been removed from the teaching register for 18 months.

She will then be able to reapply to teach, which the hearing heard she hopes to do.

The panel's findings state: “The panel considered that this was a serious breach, she had information from a vulnerable child on which she did not act, and that the child was subject to abuse.

“The panel could not ascertain steps which she had taken to rebuild trust.

“In all the circumstances the panel considered that the teacher was unfit to teach and had fallen significantly short of the standards for registration.”

Child protection procedures were not followed, the panel found, and, it ruled, other pupils were put at risk of harm but Ms Bogie's inaction.

A report of proceedings details how she gave her personal mobile phone number to the pupil and sent her a message reading "I love you too x".

She failed to block the girl's number when told to do so in 2018 and also drove to Dunfermline to collect the girl after receiving a distressed phone call from her.

Ms Bogie admitted the allegations in full and consented to the 18 month removal.

Evidence given to the hearing states: "The teacher’s position is that she was only aware of the possibility of Pupil A having a crush on [Birch] after residential trips."

It's adds that the teacher said she stayed behind for band rehearsals and discussed this with the Principal Teacher of Enhanced Support but did not report the information about sexual contact between the pupil and Birch.

The written ruling adds: “The panel found that it is unlikely that there will be a reoccurrence as the teacher is not currently teaching.

“She has carried out a detailed reflection with an honest view of her feelings about how she is haunted every day with what happened to pupil A.

“She is now in a job outwith teaching but that does not preclude the fact that she could move into another job.

“She states on several occasions how this has affected her and others, demonstrating a high level of remorse and insight into the effect of her actions, she has admitted all her actions and is aware of the impact of her actions on vulnerable pupil A.

“In all the circumstances, the panel found that the shortfalls had been remedied and that reoccurrence was not likely.”

Fife Council has not commented on the case.

Birch, who had been a police officer before becoming a teacher, pleaded not guilty during his trial but was found guilty of nine charges that took place between 2006 and 2017.