A DEPUTY headteacher was struck off for two years today after a conduct panel found him guilty of sending more than 40 child sex abuse messages to a suspected paedophile.

Christopher Murphy was working at Our Lady and St Michael RC Primary School, Abergavenny, when he was questioned as part of a police paedophile investigation.

The suspected paedophile based in the south of England was arrested and charged for downloading indecent messages of children.

The "explicit" messages purported to be from a 13-year-old girl abused by her stepdad, a General Teaching Council for Wales panel heard today.

Mr Murphy denied sending the phone messages over a four-day period and knowing who the recipient was.

But he admitted taking part in "role play" with other internet users where an incestuous relationship between a father and his son had been acted out, the professional conduct committee hearing held in Cardiff was told.

Teaching Council presenting officer, Louise Price, said Murphy presented a "considerable risk" to pupils.

The panel banned him from teaching in Wales for two years.

Panel chairman Steve Powell said that although there was no evidence Mr Murphy had taken part in the activities which were the subject of the phone messages, his actions might be seen as "endorsing" such activities.

Mr Powell told the hearing: "We impose the prohibition order on the basis it is necessary to protect pupils and maintain public confidence in the teaching profession."

Mr Murphy was suspended the day after he told the school's acting head Patricia Brown that he was the subject of a police investigation.

Disciplinary proceedings later took place and he has not taught since, the panel heard.

The panel found today that he had sent messages containing inappropriate sexual content involving issues relating to child abuse to a suspected paedophile between December 19 and 22, 2009.

The panel also ruled this amounted to "unacceptable professional conduct", that is conduct that falls short of the standard expected of a registered teacher.

Mr Murphy said friends and sexual partners had checked their email on his mobile and claimed someone else may have sent the messages.

But the panel rejected his account owing to the number of messages and the period of time during which they were sent.

The panel heard that Mr Murphy told Ms Brown the recipient was "an acquaintance" but he later maintained he did not know who he was.

Ms Brown said that Mr Murphy told her that his "civil partnership" had broken down and that he had been in touch with a person who formed part of the investigation through a social networking site.

The panel heard that Mr Murphy handed over his computer and mobile phone and the police case against him was not pursued.

The panel added that Mr Murphy had made an "extremely valuable contribution" to the education of children and the teaching profession.

Mr Murphy has 28 days to appeal the panel's decision to the High Court and will be able to apply to teach again after the prohibition order expires.