Teaching assistant who tied 7-year-old child to a chair sentenced to 12-month community service

Rachael Regan had denied charge of cruelty but was convicted a Bradford Crown Court last month

The “cruel” teaching assistant who “humiliated” a seven-year-old girl over five months at a West Yorkshire school has been given a 12-month community service order.

Rachael Regan, 43, of Cousin Lane, Illingworth, denied a charge of cruelty but was convicted at Bradford Crown Court last month.

The court heard how Regan “singled out and bullied” the now nine-year-old girl over a five month period, including tying to a chair with adhesive tape, shutting her in a cupboard tying her shoes on with string, name calling and goading, hiding her doll and tearing up her photograph.

Judge Neil Davey QC described Regan’s conduct towards the child at a school in Calderdale as “shameful”.

"You have been convicted by a jury of cruelty to a small child, in effect of bullying her to the extent that it would properly be described as cruelty," he said.

Judge Davey added: “You humiliated [the girl], you've already been professionally humiliated, now you've been publicly humiliated."

During her defence, heard at Bradford Crown Court in December last year, Regan claimed her actions were a “bit of fun” and described the child, who cannot be named for legal reasons, as a “cheeky monkey”.

He also criticised the Crown Prosecution Service for the length of the time the assistant had been on bail for, continuing that the period of uncertainty was part of his decision not to award a custodial sentence.

Regan’s 12-month community order includes a requirement to do 40 hours of community service.