Headteacher ‘harassed woman at his primary school by trying to strike up a relationship with her — then resisted a police officer when he was arrested in front of pupils and parents’

A headteacher has appeared in court charged with harassment after allegedly seeking a ‘romantic relationship’ with a woman at his primary school after she spurned his advances.

Gregory Hill, 47, is accused of hounding her over Twitter and WhatsApp after telling her he wanted a romantic relationship — before confronting her at school and requesting her ‘personal attendance’ to accompany him to Sandringham to mark the death of the Queen.

Hill is also accused of resisting a police officer when he was arrested in front of children and parents at Howard Junior School in King’s Lynn, Norfolk.

The headmaster — who won a local ‘Inspirational Teacher of the Year’ award last summer — denied both charges when he appeared today at Norwich magistrates court and will stand trial in June next year.

He is accused of pursuing a course of conduct which amounted to harassment between March 12 last year and February 22 this year.

The charge alleges that he knew or ought to have known that his behaviour amounted to harassment.

Gregory Hill, 47, (picturedoutside Norwich magistrates court) is accused of hounding a woman at his primary school over Twitter and WhatsApp after telling her he wanted a romantic relationship

Hill — who won a local ‘Inspirational Teacher of the Year’ award last summer — is accused of pursuing a course of conduct which amounted to harassment

Gregory Hill, 47, is accused of hounding her over Twitter and WhatsApp after telling her he wanted a romantic relationship

Hill, who has been headteacher at Howard Junior School for 16 years, listened in the glass fronted dock as the harassment charge, detailing a series of incidents, was read out.

The charge states that he contacted her via Twitter on March 13 last year after notifying her a week earlier that he was seeking to ‘pursue a romantic relationship’ with her.

It adds that he sent several Twitter requests to the woman’s personal Twitter account between April 14 and 17 last year.

Hill of Fakenham, Norfolk, is also accused of sending her WhatsApp messages on May 2 last year in which he made comments about her appearance.

The charge also alleges that he confronted her on May 6 in school regarding a grievance she had raised requesting a meeting with the Chair of Trustees of the Academy which runs it.

It further states that he ‘requested her personal attendance’ to accompany him to Sandringham last September following the death of the Queen.

The school made headlines around the world after Hill and pupils spoke to the Prince and Princess of Wales when the couple were admiring floral tributes to the late Queen left at Sandringham’s main gates.

The princess was seen comforting an eight-year-old girl pupil from the school as she laid a toy corgi among the thousands of bouquets outside the gates.

Hill is also said to have confronted her on November 7 last year in relation to another member of staff and made her ‘feel distressed’ on November 20.

The charge also states that he ‘embarrassed’ her at a school assembly on December 16 and spoke to her on January 17 ‘in relation to pursuing a lesbian relationship’.

Hill is also alleged to have spoken to her on January 18 about members of her family and partner, and called her on WhatsApp on February 7.

The woman alleges Hill ‘requested her personal attendance’ to accompany him to Sandringham last September following the death of the Queen

Hill, who has been headteacher at Howard Junior School for 16 years, listened in the glass fronted dock as the harassment charge, detailing a series of incidents, was read out

The charge also states that he spoke to her on February 8 about ‘approaching members of staff in relation to her grievance with you.’

It finally accuses him of taking photographs of her vehicle on February 18 and confronting her ‘in an aggressive manner’ on February 21.

A second charge alleges that resisted PC Hollington ‘in the execution’ of her duty in King’s Lynn on March 6 this year.

Hill who was dressed smartly in a dark suit and white shirt with a striped tie pleaded not guilty to both charges.

Barrister Matthew Dance, representing Hill, said the headteacher would be contesting that any of his contact with Ms Regester amounted to harassment or he did not believe it did.

He added that there were also some ‘factual disputes’ about the evidence.

Mr Dance also said that he wanted to see the full 33 minutes of footage from body worn camera recorded by Norfolk Police during and after his arrest.

Mr Hill claimed in March that he had a panic attack when two women police officers in plain clothes said they wanted to question him after he arrived for work on the morning of March 6.

He claimed that he tried to film the officers, but had his mobile phone taken away from him before he had a ‘panic attack’ and ‘curled up in a ball’ on the ground.

Howard Junior School made headlines at the time of the World Cup in Qatar last November when Mr Hill said he would permanently change the its name to Harry Kane Junior School if England lifted the trophy

Hill said at the time that he passed out during his arrest and was restrained in handcuffs before he came round in a police van.

District Judge David Wilson adjourned the case for a three day trial, due to take place at King’s Lynn magistrates court on June 25 and 26 next year, and Norwich magistrates court on June 28.

The court heard that a number of people who witnessed his arrest were due to give evidence.

The judge also adjourned consideration of making a stalking protection order until after the conclusion of the trial.

Hill was bailed on condition that he stayed away from his school and two addresses in Norfolk, did not contact any witnesses in the case, and notified police about any social media accounts he was using.

He stated outside court that he was on sick leave from his posts as head teacher and as chief executive officer of the Apollo Academies Trust which runs Howard Junior School

The school’s website describes him as ‘a champion for digital learning, employing technology to inspire and improve’.

Hill temporarily renamed his school as the Harry Kane Junior School in a gesture of support for the England captain in the World Cup in Qatar last November.

He promised to use the name permanently for the school if England won, prompting Kane to say he would visit pupils if the Three Lions lifted the trophy.

Hill claimed earlier this year that he suffered tissue damage to his wrists, bruising to his face and arms, and concussion while officers were arresting him.

He said he needed to wear a splint to support one of his injured wrists and his GP had diagnosed him with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Howard Junior School was named in January as an Apple Distinguished School by the tech giant for its use of its products in the classroom.

But in March the school received a damning ‘inadequate’ inspection from Ofstead, identifying ‘serious failings in the school which have been unchallenged for too long.’

The quality of education was condemned as ‘weak’, and inspectors claimed ‘leaders have prioritised the appearance of the building at the expense of the curriculum’.

It added: ‘Staff are committed but many feel ground down. They know that the school should be better but feel powerless to make suggestions or express concerns.

‘They do not report their grievances as they have little confidence in the process and are fearful of the backlash this may cause.’

They also had concerns about the effectiveness of safeguarding arrangements, leadership and the trustees.