Primary school teacher, 30, who 'worked openly' as a £1,600-a-night escort and posted pictures of her and her partner having sex on a 'swingers' site' is struck off

An infant school teacher posted images on the internet of her and her partner having sex and offer to sell sexual services as she worked as a £1,600-a-night escort.

Samantha Barguss, 30, also admitted posting inappropriate images and videos of herself on the internet having sex over nearly three years.

Barguss started working at Hall Green Infant School, in Birmingham as a teacher in September 2019. In 2022, bosses received an anonymous letter about a secret escorting profile she had set up on the internet.

In January 2023 Barguss denied all the allegations, before admitting that between July 2020 and January 2023 she posted inappropriate images and videos of herself - many with graphic titles.

She said Covid and the lockdown had impacted her and she made a profile on a website to meet 'like minded' individuals and couples but she thought it would be a 'safe and discreet website to keep her private and work life apart.'

She said she had taken photos to exclude her tattoos and prevent her identity being exposed - even though her face was in them, the panel found.

Safeguarding officials initially said the concerns were not in their investigative remit. But in February 2023, Birmingham City Council reported what it had been told to teaching watchdogs.

Terry Hyde, who chaired the virtual Teaching Regulation Agency hearing, said today: 'The panel noted that there were numerous inappropriate images/videos within the 'movies' and 'gallery' sections of the profile, many of which had graphic titles.

'The still images of the movies appeared to show Ms Barguss engaging in sexual intercourse. The images within the gallery section of the profile showed Ms Barguss' body from a range of angles, whilst she was wearing minimal clothing.

'Ms Barguss stated that Covid and lockdown had occurred during her time at the school, which she stated had negatively impacted upon her and which had taken a toll on her and relationship.'

Ms Barguss explained that during this period, she and her partner had made a profile on the website, which was not named by the TRA, in order to meet 'like-minded' individuals. She uploaded photos and videos to this profile, which she stated was necessary to enable them to speak to other members of the site

'She thought this would be a safe and discreet website which would allow her and [her partner] to keep their private and work lives separate. 

'They thought about using a normal dating site but that would have meant that they had to use face pictures, and they wanted to keep this side of their life very private, and allowed them to keep their identity hidden.

'Ms Barguss stated that she hid her tattoos in the pictures and that she had them taken in a way that, she perceived, prevented her identity being exposed. The panel did not consider this was the case and noted that some of the photographs and still images from the videos clearly showed Ms Barguss' face.'

The panel considered the anonymous letter sent to the school, in 2022, in which the author claimed Ms Barguss was 'openly working as an escort' and included screenshots of a profile the writer recognised as Barguss from her Facebook profile.

Within the escort profile Ms Barguss stated that, 'I am exceptionally popular and always eager to add to my impressive, ever growing, base of regular clients. I love my job and I desire nothing more than to gratify you in every way possible.'

The profile stated this was not her only job, and that it is 'a secondary venture of pleasure and naughtiness', adding: 'I am rarely available the same day, if you are on a business trip then please book in advance'.

Ms Barguss had set out her availability and prices within the profile, charging £120 for half an hour, £220 for an hour and £1,600 overnight. 

The teacher claimed she never gained any income from the website, and that that was never her and her partner's intention when using it.

She maintained their only intention was to explore their own relationship. Ms Barguss stated 'once covid 19 rules were relaxed, we met a few people that we had established relationships with on a social basis' .

But Mr Hyde ruled: 'The panel found the price list included within the profile particularly significant and noted that this was a clear indication of an intention to sell sexual services. 

'The panel did not consider that this evidence was compatible with the suggestion that Ms Barguss and her (partner) had solely intended to meet other like- minded couples.

'The panel considered that it was at least possible that pupils may have been able to find this profile and that viewing their teacher in this way may lead pupils to consider that posting images of this nature is a way to make money. The panel considered that this was a potentially dangerous perception.'

Ms Barguss admitted two allegations that between July 22, 2020 and January 25, 2023, she displayed 'one or more inappropriate images and/or videos of herself on the internet' and posted 'one or more messages and/or images on the internet offering to sell sexual services'.

Banning her from teaching for at least five years, Marc Cavey, for the Education Secretary, underlined: 'In the light of the panel's findings against Ms Barguss, which involved posting images of herself on the internet and offering to sell sexual services, there was a strong public interest consideration in the maintenance of public confidence in the profession.

'Similarly, the panel considered that public confidence in the profession could be seriously weakened if conduct such as that found against Ms Barguss were not treated with the utmost seriousness when regulating the conduct of the profession.

'The panel did not consider that Ms Barguss had demonstrated any appreciation of how her actions could have impacted upon the pupils that she taught and appeared to have a fundamental lack of understanding that what she portrays online attaches to her as a teacher and the teaching profession generally.

'The panel further considered that Ms Barguss had sought to minimise the misconduct throughout her explanations and had sought to criticise the handling of the incident rather than accepting any wrongdoing herself.'

She accepted what she had done was wrong and 'she realises that working in such a professional and respectable career', she should not have done what she did to explore her relationship with her partner.