Christopher Ogbe, 37, attempted to kiss a female teacher, dropped his trousers to female cabin crew and abused other passengers after drinking copious amounts of lager and whisky on the flight from Gatwick on February 5, 2001.

The General Teaching Council for England heard that Mr Ogbe was jailed for three years for indecent assault and 15 months for being drunk on an aircraft. He was released three weeks ago on appeal.

Presenting officer Bradley Albuery told the hearing Mr Ogbe, who had been head of business studies at Bexleyheath school, Kent, since September 1997, had been in charge of 29 pupils aged 16 to 18 on the trip to New York. He was suspended from the school on March 19, 2001 and his contract terminated after the trial.

Mr Ogbe told the hearing he had drunk alcohol to overcome his claustrophobia. There were also numerous testimonies from colleagues and students commending his reputation and career.

* A teacher accused of seriously damaging his pupils’ education by failing to set them work while he was absent has been found not guilty of unprofessional conduct. The hearing decided there was insufficient evidence.

Sean Sennu, a maths teacher at Heathcote school, Chingford, north-east London, was told that he could continue teaching.