A primary school teacher has been struck off the register after being convicted of benefit fraud to the tune of $107,000.
Craig Morehu Teddy, 41, of Opotiki, was deregistered last month for committing the "very serious fraud" in part while he was a teacher.
He was found guilty of fraud charges in Whakatane District Court in November last year, according to a Teachers' Disciplinary Tribunal decision.
For five years from 2005 he made false statements about his living arrangements and employment, saying he had sole care of his children when he was living with a partner.
His teacher's registration expired in July 2011 and he had not taken any steps to renew it.
But his case was brought to the New Zealand Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal so he could be officially deregistered.
Teddy was not present at the hearing.
The tribunal said it had little difficulty deciding Teddy should be deregistered, as the very serious fraud involving a substantial amount of money had, in part, been committed while he was a teacher.
Teddy's failure to engage with the council's disciplinary process also inferred he had no interest in re-entering the profession at this stage, it said.
By Catherine Gaffaney of NZME. News Service
