A former high school teacher who was set to take up a position in Stoke-on-Trent, has been banned from the profession, after a misconduct panel found he engaged in inappropriate and sexualised online communication with a 13-year-old girl.

Liam Walker, 30, was found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct and conduct that may bring the teaching profession into disrepute by the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) following a hearing on 9 April, 2026.

The panel heard Walker was employed by Sir William Stanier School in Crewe as Assistant Curriculum Leader for Humanities when communicating with the pupil over several days through ChatIW and Snapchat in August 2024.

Walker, set for the new post of Religious Education teacher at Ormiston Meridian Academy, Meir, Stoke-on-Trent and due to start in September 2024, continued to engage with the pupil, despite her telling him she was 13.

Walker's intrusive personal messages, communicated to the teenager, were found to include inappropriate and sexualised content.

During his communications with the girl, Walker made comments to the effect of: "You never know what creeps are out there trying to get into your pants," as well as asking: "Are you a virgin?."

The former Crewe teacher said: "I'm always a little worried to talk dirty to a teen as it's illegal haha," and even asked: "Are you looking for sex?"

Liam Walker was set for the role of Religious Education teacher at Ormiston Meridian Academy, Stoke-on-Trent, prior to being arrested by Cheshire Constabulary in September 2024 (Photo: Ormiston Meridian Academy).

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Walker also asked "What do you want with old guys," and told the child "you deffo want to though" when referring to sex. He also discussed pregnancy.

The Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) panel concluded Walker asked intrusive personal questions of a sexual nature and made comments that were not appropriate for a teacher communicating with a child.

It said the exchanges were prolonged and showed a clear breach of professional boundaries.

The panel also noted Walker used online usernames that created an inappropriate impression of his identity as a teacher, contributing to a situation that risked undermining trust in the teaching profession.

Walker was arrested in September 2024 by Cheshire Constabulary on suspicion of sexual communication with a child.

He was later dismissed from his post before taking up the new teaching job at Ormiston Meridian Academy.

The TRA panel recommended a prohibition order, which has been imposed.

Walker is now banned from teaching indefinitely and cannot apply for the ban to be reviewed until at least 2031.

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Read the full report here.