South London Science Teacher Indefinitely Banned After Attempting to Meet Police Decoy Posing as 13-Year-Old
A South London teacher who attempted to arrange a sexual encounter with what he believed was a 13-year-old girl has been permanently barred from the profession. Mohamed Dahir Mohamed, 34, was actually communicating with an undercover police officer operating a decoy profile, a professional misconduct panel has determined.
Court Conviction and Professional Consequences
Mr Mohamed pleaded guilty at Kingston Crown Court on October 21, 2024, to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child. He received a six-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, on January 24, 2025. The Teaching Regulation Agency panel subsequently ruled in February 2026 that he should be indefinitely prohibited from teaching.
The panel found that Mr Mohamed had been employed as a science teacher at Kingston Academy since September 2021. His arrest occurred at the school on November 8, 2023, following an investigation into allegations of inappropriate contact with a child under 16 who was not enrolled at the institution.
Detailed Pattern of Predatory Behavior
According to police evidence presented to the panel, Mr Mohamed utilized social platforms Omegle and Snapchat between April 12 and May 26, 2023, to interact with the police-operated decoy profile. Posing as a 19-year-old, he engaged in explicit conversations requesting details about sexual experiences and proposing meetings for sexual activity.
The misconduct report detailed that Mr Mohamed specifically asked the decoy to wear a skirt and send photographs of herself. His communications demonstrated a clear escalation from initial contact to explicit sexual discussions and concrete plans to meet during school holidays, either in a park or Airbnb accommodation.
Professional Standards Violation and Limited Remorse
The Teaching Regulation Agency panel characterized Mr Mohamed's offenses as "extremely serious" violations of professional teaching standards. They noted that only police intervention prevented the online interactions from progressing to physical contact, as the profile was law enforcement-operated.
While Mr Mohamed expressed commitment to rehabilitation during proceedings, the panel determined his insight into the gravity of his actions and demonstrated remorse remained significantly limited. David Oatley, representing the Education Secretary, affirmed that indefinite prohibition from teaching was necessary to preserve public confidence and serve the public interest.
School Response and Safeguarding Measures
Kingston Academy formally dismissed Mr Mohamed on May 8, 2024. A school spokesperson emphasized their highest priority on student safety and wellbeing, referencing robust safeguarding protocols including thorough recruitment vetting and ongoing protection practices aligned with statutory requirements.
The spokesperson clarified that the incident occurred outside school premises and confirmed full cooperation with police and regulatory authorities throughout the investigation. The case highlights ongoing concerns about educator conduct and the critical importance of stringent safeguarding measures in educational institutions.
