Teacher who told schoolgirl he 'wanted to join her in bed' is banned from the classroom for life

Do YOU have a story? Email tips@dailymail.co.ukSee more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Published: 07:56 EDT, 6 September 2026 | Updated: 07:56 EDT, 6 September 2026 A Year Two teacher has been banned from the profession after telling a schoolgirl he 'wanted to join her in bed'.Daniel Duhig, 29, from Hornchurch, Essex, also asked the girl if she was a virgin before telling her he 'thinks she would be good' and must be 'popular with boys'.The former primary school teacher began messaging the child, who was under 16 and did not attend his school, after meeting on an 18+ dating app.He was arrested in January 2024 and convicted of trying to engage in sexual communication with a child after pleading guilty at Barkingside Magistrates' Court in May last year. He claimed he was unaware the victim was a child.Duhig, who studied primary education at the University of East London, worked at Godwin Primary School in Dagenham from September 2023 until he was arrested in January 2024.He sent the girl the sexual messages on December 28, 2023, and was placed on garden leave after his arrest. He was sacked in May and later asked the school for 'another chance to continue with his career'. Daniel Duhig from Hornchurch, Essex, has been banned from teaching for life after telling a teenage girl he wanted to join her in bed – and told her she 'must be popular with boys'The teacher was handed a six-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months and ordered to undertake a rehabilitation course and 100 hours of unpaid work.He also had to pay the victim £154, prosecution fees of £85 and was placed on the Sex Offenders' Register for seven years. At a tribunal, Duhig, who previously worked as a Learning Support Assistant for the London Borough of Redbridge, was barred from teaching for life.The teaching panel found that the likelihood of him committing similar offences in the future is 'high'. It said there was no material evidence that he had demonstrated insight into the 'wider impact of the offending on the child'.Concerns about his behaviour had previously been raised over his failure to maintain professional boundaries with pupils and he was placed on a support plan as a result.Duhig told a disciplinary hearing he was 'sincerely sorry' for messaging the child. He said he 'deeply regretted his actions' and 'accepted the seriousness of his mistake'.He also claimed 'he would have blocked her straight away' had he known the girl was underage, and asked for the school to give him another chance.But the teaching panel found that 'whilst there was some evidence of remorse and acceptance of responsibility, there was little evidence before the panel demonstrating insight into the wider impact of the offending on the child and also on public confidence in the profession or the reputation of teachers'. The former primary school teacher was arrested in January 2024 and convicted of trying to engage in sexual communication with a child after pleading guiltyIt added: 'There was no evidence before the panel that Mr Duhig demonstrated exceptionally high standards in his personal and professional conduct or had contributed significantly to the education sector.'The panel had no evidence before it to demonstrate that the incident was out of character.'It added: 'There was no material evidence of insight, remorse, or meaningful consideration of the impact of his offending. The panel concluded, on the available evidence, that the risk of Mr Duhig committing similar offences in the future is high, which is clearly of substantial concern.'