AN EVESHAM headteacher has apologised for his drink drive conviction, which saw him banned from driving for almost two years and fined almost £600, after school chiefs confirmed his return to the job.
David Coaché, executive head at Bengeworth Multi Academy Trust, was suspended from his post after he was stopped and breathalysed by police on August 24 and found to be driving over the legal alcohol limit.
He was banned from the roads for 23 months, which will be reduced to 17 months on completion of a driving course, and fined £587 by Warwickshire magistrates last month.
After an ‘robust and detailed’ investigation, directors asked Mr Coaché to return to the role and based their decision on the school’s values which they said would be used for anyone who experienced a similar mistake.
The headteacher has been back at his desk since Monday and in a letter to parents given to the Observer by the school, Mr Coaché thanked the community for their support.
“My enforced absence has been the unavoidable result of my own actions during the school holiday, for which I am truly sorry and for which I have taken full responsibility, accepting the subsequent legal and professional consequences,” he said.
“I have been greatly humbled by the overwhelmingly compassionate messages sent to our directors from parents, staff and members of the community.
“These have had considerable influence regarding the decision to allow me to return to my job, but they have also been a great source of affirmation and encouragement to me personally, during a very difficult time.
“The reaction from everyone during this incident has firmly demonstrated Bengeworth is a unique organisation and I am in a very privileged position.”
Andy Martyr-Icke, chair of directors at the trust, said the investigation had called on support, advice and guidance and confirmed the incident had been taken ‘very seriously’ by school bosses.
“We have not always made the easy decisions, but we have made ones built around our school values and that we would use for anyone in the school who experienced a similar mistake,” he said.
“We have considered many factors and sources of information, including many of the e-mails I received from parents and carers following my previous letter.
“The wonderful sense of community we have around our school and the importance of our values really came across in those messages. They were a huge help,” Mr Martyr-Icke added.
