Senior lecturer at University of Surrey struck off after being found guilty of sexual misconduct
Simon Bettles has been removed from the professional register after the Health & Care Professions Tribunal Service (HCPTS) found him guilty of sexual misconduct involving a student
A senior lecturer at the University of Surrey has been removed from the professional register following a ruling by the Health & Care Professions Tribunal Service (HCPTS) after he was found guilty of sexually exploiting a student.
Simon Bettles, a 46-year-old senior lecturer, was found to have used his position of authority to coerce a midwifery student, referred to as Student A, into engaging in multiple sexual acts over several months in 2022. The misconduct took place at the University of Surrey, where Bettles was in a position of power and responsibility over Student A.
The panel’s findings detail a series of sexual advances and misconduct beginning in January 2022. Bettles started by offering support to Student A, who had confided in him about personal issues. However, Bettles soon began to send sexually explicit messages and made inappropriate physical advances towards the student, which she consistently rejected.
The panel found that Bettles’ behaviour escalated to the point where he initiated multiple sexual encounters with Student A in private settings, such as the University’s meeting rooms. During these meetings, Bettles kissed and touched Student A despite her clear objections. One of the incidents took place on 28 January 2022, when Bettles grabbed Student A’s chair and pulled her towards him, kissing her neck and trying to touch her inappropriately.
Throughout the months that followed, Bettles continued to engage in sexual misconduct. He sent sexually explicit messages to Student A, including graphic descriptions and requests for her to send photographs. In one instance on 20 July 2022, Bettles pinned the student against a wall, tried to kiss her, and made further sexual advances.
The HCPTS panel noted that Bettles' actions were a form of grooming. Student A felt unable to refuse his requests due to his position as a senior staff member at the university. Despite the student’s resistance, Bettles persisted, even after she told him to stop on multiple occasions.
On 1 May 2022, Student A sent Bettles a message requesting that their interactions stop. Bettles admitted in a text message that he had "taken it too far" but continued to contact her. Student A later disclosed the incidents to a mentor, leading to a formal investigation.
The HCPTS panel found Bettles’ actions to be in clear violation of professional standards. They stated that Bettles had abused his position of trust and authority to manipulate and coerce the student into sexual activity. The panel concluded that Bettles’ actions constituted sexual misconduct and that his removal from the professional register was necessary to protect future students.
As a result, Bettles has been permanently struck off from the professional register. The HCPTS panel’s decision was based on the severity of the misconduct and Bettles’ lack of remorse. They highlighted the importance of upholding public trust in the professional standards of lecturers and the need to ensure that students are protected from abuse.