A supply teacher was removed
from his post after it emerged that he was an ex-priest with a
first-instance conviction for sexual violence and stalking,
local media reported Tuesday.
The director of Galilei upper secondary school in the
Marches coastal city of Ancona began investigating Armando
Bicchiarelli, 47, after students reported his 'eccentric'
behaviour in class.
The supply teacher in history and philosophy, a former
priest in Isola del Piano (Pesaro Urbino), allegedly "didn't
teach, he would leaf through the text book in class, it seemed
he didn't know what to do" said school director Annarita
Durantini.
Internet research revealed that Bicchiarelli was convicted
by a first instance court to two years and 10 months and
stripped of his priestly status for abusing a young male
parishioner over the course of 11 years and stalking him after
he got a girlfriend.
He was arrested in February 2012 and spent a period under
home detention before being released pending appeal.
However, his self-declaration form concerning his criminal
record and pending criminal proceedings presented with his job
application made no mention of the case.
"When we became aware of his position we told him he would
no longer be a teacher here," Durantini said.
"He put up no opposition and made no appeal against the
provision," she added.
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