It is difficult to avoid knee-jerk reactions when the subject of indecent images of children is raised; any parent, rightly, will have little tolerance or understanding for those who look at this sort of picture.

However, as a society, it is also right that as dispassionate a view as possible is taken when dealing with those who commit offences of this nature; that is what our justice system is all about.

Notwithstanding that, the decision by the National College of Teaching and Learning, supported by Education Secretary Michael Gove, to allow a man sacked for possessing indecent images of children on his computer to continue to be deemed fit to teach in our classrooms is almost impossible to comprehend.

The images viewed may have been at the lower end of the scale, and it may be that Geoffrey Bettley does not pose a risk to children.

But by accessing indecent images of children, he surely should have forfeited his right to set foot in a classroom as a teacher again. He was placed on the sex offenders register for two years after police cautioned him.

Anyone who views this type of image helps create a market that encourages the exploitation of children. They may not take part in any physical abuse themselves, but they are perpetuating the abuse of children by the vile perverts who take or create these sort of pictures.

The simple fact of the matter is that if people did not view these images, there would be no market for them.

Philip Davies is absolutely right to call for an automatic ban in such cases. There are some acts which are simply incompatible with teaching, and it is hard to see any justification for the decision that has been taken here.