Former Thurrock headteacher faces internal police allegations of sexual harassment of junior teachers at school | Local News | News | Thurrock Nub News

Former Stifford Clays Primary School headteacher Anthony Peltier, whose sudden departure from the school in spring 2018 was shrouded in secrecy, will face allegations next week that he harassed several female members of staff at the lower school by inappropriately touching them or making sexual comments to them.

It is the latest twist in the much-hyped career of a man who was awarded the Pride of Britain Award in 2002 for his “extraordinary bravery” in saving the life of a boy who had been stabbed to death in a gang brawl in London.

At that time he was deputy head of Mandeville Primary School in West London.

Anthony Peltier with pupils from his school after winning a Pride of Britain award.

He soon became headteacher of Merlin Primary School in Downham, south-east London, and later moved to Stifford Clays Primary in Whitmore Avenue, Grays. From 1 April 2015 to 13 December 2017, he was director of the South West Essex Community Education Trust (SWECET), which runs Stifford Clays and other schools in Thurrock.

From 2005, he also served as a Special Constable in the Metropolitan Police for over a decade, rising to the rank of Assistant Chief Officer.

His alleged misconduct at school now results in him facing a police hearing under the Standards of Professional Conduct for dishonorable conduct.

His indictment states: “It is alleged that former Special Constable Anthony Peltier breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour in relation to dishonourable conduct. The conduct is alleged to constitute gross misconduct and as such, if proven, would have justified his dismissal and placement on the College of Policing barred list.”

A misconduct hearing will take place in south east London on Friday 2 August. Details of the hearing can be found at this link.

No criminal charges have been filed against Mr Peltier.

Mr Peltier worked as chief executive of the Passion Project Foundation, an educational charity, and was also a director of a short-lived charity called Innovate for Growth, whose social media followers included current Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and radio presenter and former footballer Gary Neville.

Following his departure from Stifford Clays, Mr Peltier remained associated with Thurrock. He spent eight months as a director of Dartford-based company Learning Workz, which has links with the borough as a project partner of Thurrock Council. He left his role in December 2023.

He is currently a director of two companies, both of which appear to have nothing to do with education. They are Greenhithe-based Retro Care Ltd, which is involved in the servicing and repair of motor vehicles, and Marylebone-based DMST Ltd, which provides specialist design services.

Mr Peltier’s departure from Stifford Clays Primary School was a great mystery. He initially went on ‘holiday’ in April 2018 and a few days later SWECET confirmed his permanent departure. It was reported that he had taken early retirement and the Trust declined to respond to requests for comment on the circumstances of Mr Peltier’s departure.

His prominent role in the local community, which included hosting Christmas dinners for local elderly people at the school with staff and volunteers, earned him much praise locally and numerous tributes on social media following his departure.

His career in education and policing did not go unnoticed in the media, and an article published on the Havering Daily website in November 2021 described him as “one of life’s true gentlemen” who grew up to become a civil servant after growing up on the Kingsmeade Estate in Hackney, “one of the roughest out there”.