By . Martin Robinson . A teacher who held a knife to a student's throat and then joked he would kill him after he got an answer wrong has been banned for two years. John Holmes grabbed a 12-year-old pupil, put him in a headlock and pulled a blade from his pocket during a lesson at Landau Forte College in Derby in the summer term of 2012. The 53-year-old had said it was 'jovial' fun with his geography class. But a National Council for Teaching and Leadership panel found Holmes guilty of 'unacceptable professional conduct' As a result he has been banned from the country's classrooms for a minimum of two years. John Holmes has been suspended for a minimum of two years for holding a knife to a pupil's throat and threatening to kill him if he failed to answer a question . The panel, who only identified the victim as 'pupil B' said: 'Mr Holmes made physical contact with pupil B by placing his arm around pupil B's neck, and then took his knife from his pocket and pushed it open so that the blade locked into place. 'Mr Holmes then made a pretend threat to kill pupil B.' Paul Heathcote delivered the panel's decision and said: 'Mr Holmes' actions were not perceived by pupil B or other pupils in the class to be a genuine threat. 'Mr Holmes is an experienced and successful teacher, valued by the school and many of its pupils. His current employer has provided a positive testimonial. 'However, his conduct represents serious departure from the personal and professional conduct elements of the Teachers' Standards. 'He was in possession of a bladed or pointed article on school premises and there is a strong public interest in deterring the carrying and use of knives in schools. 'He has not shown clear insight into the implications of his behaviour.' Incident: Mr Holmes argued he was having  'jovial' fun with his geography class at Landau Forte College in Derby but a panel said it was 'unacceptable conduct' Pupil B had stated that Holmes had 'placed him in a headlock during a geography lesson whilst holding a knife and threatening to kill him for giving the wrong answer'. Holmes left the school following the incident, but continued to contact colleagues commenting on the circumstances, which was in breach of his suspension. The panel said Holmes received a caution on August 2, 2013, from Derbyshire Police for possession of an article with a blade or sharp point on school premises. The panel also found the teacher previously received a verbal warning from the school in April 2010 after a pupil injured himself on a door. The pupil claimed he was pushed by Holmes, but accepted the collision could have been the result of Holmes trying to prevent him from leaving a classroom. Stephen Whiteley, chief executive of Landau Forte Charitable Trust, said: 'Following the reporting of the alleged professional misconduct of a member of staff, we as a responsible employer, investigated and dealt with the matter under staff disciplinary and safeguarding procedures. 'Following detailed internal and external investigations appropriate employment procedures were then followed. Mr Holmes ceased to be employed at Landau Forte College as of August 31, 2013.'
John Holmes, 53, said incident at Landau College in Derby was 'jovial' fun .
He pulled a knife from his pocket and 'made a pretend threat to kill' boy, 12 .
Disciplinary panel finds Holmes guilty of 'unacceptable professional conduct'
By . Martin Robinson . A teacher who held a knife to a student's throat and then joked he would kill him after he got an answer wrong has been banned for two years. John Holmes grabbed a 12-year-old pupil, put him in a headlock and pulled a blade from his pocket during a lesson at Landau Forte College in Derby in the summer term of 2012. The 53-year-old had said it was 'jovial' fun with his geography class. But a National Council for Teaching and Leadership panel found Holmes guilty of 'unacceptable professional conduct' As a result he has been banned from the country's classrooms for a minimum of two years. John Holmes has been suspended for a minimum of two years for holding a knife to a pupil's throat and threatening to kill him if he failed to answer a question . The panel, who only identified the victim as 'pupil B' said: 'Mr Holmes made physical contact with pupil B by placing his arm around pupil B's neck, and then took his knife from his pocket and pushed it open so that the blade locked into place. 'Mr Holmes then made a pretend threat to kill pupil B.' Paul Heathcote delivered the panel's decision and said: 'Mr Holmes' actions were not perceived by pupil B or other pupils in the class to be a genuine threat. 'Mr Holmes is an experienced and successful teacher, valued by the school and many of its pupils. His current employer has provided a positive testimonial. 'However, his conduct represents serious departure from the personal and professional conduct elements of the Teachers' Standards. 'He was in possession of a bladed or pointed article on school premises and there is a strong public interest in deterring the carrying and use of knives in schools. 'He has not shown clear insight into the implications of his behaviour.' Incident: Mr Holmes argued he was having  'jovial' fun with his geography class at Landau Forte College in Derby but a panel said it was 'unacceptable conduct' Pupil B had stated that Holmes had 'placed him in a headlock during a geography lesson whilst holding a knife and threatening to kill him for giving the wrong answer'. Holmes left the school following the incident, but continued to contact colleagues commenting on the circumstances, which was in breach of his suspension. The panel said Holmes received a caution on August 2, 2013, from Derbyshire Police for possession of an article with a blade or sharp point on school premises. The panel also found the teacher previously received a verbal warning from the school in April 2010 after a pupil injured himself on a door. The pupil claimed he was pushed by Holmes, but accepted the collision could have been the result of Holmes trying to prevent him from leaving a classroom. Stephen Whiteley, chief executive of Landau Forte Charitable Trust, said: 'Following the reporting of the alleged professional misconduct of a member of staff, we as a responsible employer, investigated and dealt with the matter under staff disciplinary and safeguarding procedures. 'Following detailed internal and external investigations appropriate employment procedures were then followed. Mr Holmes ceased to be employed at Landau Forte College as of August 31, 2013.'
Holmes guilty of 'unacceptable professional took his knife from his pocket and pushed it open then made a pretend threat to kill pupil B.' Paul was having  'jovial' fun with his geography class at Landau Forte College in Derby but a panel said