Primary school teacher sacked for hiding romance with convicted paedophile married him just five months later despite losing her career

By PATRICK HARRINGTON, UK NEWS REPORTER Published: 00:38, 22 June 2026 | Updated: 00:38, 22 June 2026 A primary school teacher sacked for hiding her whirlwind romance with a convicted paedophile married him just five months after losing her job, the Daily Mail can reveal. Jessica Patullo, 29, was dismissed from Kelvedon Hatch Community Primary School in Brentwood, Essex, last year after failing to report that her new boyfriend Josh Perry, 30, had been caught with indecent images of young children in 2019. But she stood by the registered sex offender - despite losing her career and being forced to retrain as a nail technician - before tying the knot with him the following September. Patullo was struck off the teaching register for good last month after a misconduct panel found she had fallen 'significantly below the standards of integrity expected of a teacher' over her failure to disclose Perry's past. For 13 months, she had taught her class while secretly dating a paedophile, until she finally confessed to the headteacher in November 2024 after being told she must by a police officer. She was fired five months later. A source close to the family told the Mail: 'This whole process has been so traumatic for Jess - she's been through so much. It was very distressing going through the TRA process. 'And it wasn't even her fault. She only ever wanted to do the right thing. 'As soon as Josh told her about the conviction, she took advice on what to do. She was advised by his probation officer not to tell the school - so she kept quiet.' Jessica Patullo (left), 29, married Josh Perry (right), 30, just five months after losing her career over his conviction for possessing indecent images of children Patullo waited 13 months to inform her primary school that her new boyfriend was on the Sex Offenders' Register Patullo worked for seven years as a primary school teacher in and around Brentwood, most recently for Year 4 at Kelvedon Hatch - just around the corner from her family home. She struck up a relationship with Perry in October 2023, at first oblivious that he had been caught in 2019 with indecent images of primary-school-age children. Perry was quick to divulge his past, however, admitting to his new girlfriend in the early days of their relationship that he had been sentenced to five years on the Sex Offenders' Register in 2021. Patullo decided to continue pursuing the budding relationship, even after learning the truth. But she faced another dilemma - whether to inform the school that she was now going out with a convicted paedophile, or keep it to herself. She told Perry to ask his probation officer whether his crime would have any implications for her job - and if she should tell the school. The officer is said to have reassured Perry that the relationship would not thwart Patullo's career, and that she was under no obligation to share the information. Patullo said she took this advice at face value and did not question it any further - thus she remained silent and went on teaching her class of school children. Kelvedon Hatch Community Primary School, where Patullo worked as a Year 4 teacher before she was sacked Patullo told her disciplinary hearing that she had kept her home and work lives 'incredibly separate' - and took steps to avoid Perry coming into contact with students. She said he 'would not come near the school' and would 'drop her at the top of the road' if he ever drove her to school.  However, she also conceded that it took her 'some time' to reach the conclusion that Perry was not, in fact, attracted to children. She agreed that maintaining the relationship until that point had been a 'safeguarding risk'.  In her statement to the Teacher Regulation Authority (TRA), Patullo claimed she received further 'assurance' in April 2024 from a police officer that she did not need to disclose the information. Patullo said she had 'made it clear' to the officer, who was completing a check on Perry, that the school were at that time 'unaware' of his conviction. But in November 2024, the couple were told during another visit by police that the council should have been made aware of the relationship, given the nature of Perry's conviction and Patullo's role at a primary school. Patullo was then told show must make the school aware, and confessed all to the headteacher in a meeting on November 26, 2024.   The school presented the situation to the council, called Patullo to a disciplinary hearing in February 2025, and fired her on April 30, 2025. Anticipating that her career as a teacher was over and she would have to find a new source of income, Patullo began advertising a new nail business a few weeks before she was dismissed. Patullo married Perry in September 2025, five months after being let go from the school, despite her career having been shattered by his crime. She was banned from teaching indefinitely last month after a hearing with the TRA. Patullo acknowledged she had made 'an error of professional judgement' by not informing the school as soon as she became aware of Perry's crime. She explained that at the time, she 'did not think that was a safeguarding concern that needed to be brought to the school'. She claimed that she was 'so focused on the children' that she was more alert to safeguarding concerns on 'a day-to-day basis'. But the panel ruled it would have been 'clear and obvious' to a teacher with 'any element of safeguarding training' that a relationship with a convicted paedophile should be reported. They concluded Patullo had failed to 'err on the side of caution', and in doing so committed serious misconduct.  The panel found that Patullo had brought the teaching profession 'into disrepute' - but fell short of recommending a permanent ban. Decision maker Marc Cavey disagreed, imposing a prohibition on the basis that any lighter punishment would undermine 'public confidence in the profession'. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? 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