Married fitness fanatic Cheyne Phillips, 34, preyed on students at Healing Science Academy in Grimsby while posing as respected educator
A buff PE teacher who seduced a schoolgirl and bombarded another with steamy selfies while his unsuspecting wife waited at home has finally got what he deserves – a lifetime ban from ever teaching again.
Shamed Cheyne Phillips, 34, led a sickening double life as deputy head of PE at Healing Science Academy in Grimsby, using his position to prey on impressionable youngsters who looked up to him.
The marathon-running fitness fanatic – who spent his weekends competing in combat sports – has been exposed as a sexual predator who couldn’t keep his hands off his students during his six-year reign of inappropriate behavior.
‘He Was Like a God to Those Kids’
Parents at the 1,200-pupil academy are still reeling from the shocking revelations about the teacher they trusted with their children’s welfare.
He was like a god to those kids,” one disgusted mother told friends outside the school gates yesterday. “Always showing off his muscles, talking about his marathons and fights. Now we know why – he was grooming them.”
The disgraced educator worked at the Lincolnshire school from July 2016 to July 2022, during which time he:
- Had full-blown sex with one pupil
- Sent a stream of flirty texts to another girl
- Bombarded the teen with inappropriate selfies
- Carried on the sick relationships while married
Combat Fighter by Day, Predator by Night
Phillips cultivated an image as the ultimate alpha male teacher – posting constantly about his grueling fitness regime, combat sports victories and marathon times on social media.
Female pupils reportedly swooned over the athletic educator who would often demonstrate exercises shirtless during hot weather, claiming it was to “show proper form.
But behind the carefully crafted image of a dedicated fitness enthusiast lurked a predator who saw his female students as conquests rather than children to protect.
He was always lingering around the girls’ changing rooms, offering ‘extra coaching’ sessions,” revealed a source close to the investigation. “Everyone thought he was just really dedicated. How wrong we were.”
Wife’s Humiliation
Perhaps the most heartbreaking aspect of this sordid tale is Phillips’s betrayed wife, who stood by her husband throughout their marriage while he was secretly sexting schoolgirls.
Neighbors describe seeing her looking “broken” and “humiliated” after the scandal broke, with one saying: “She had no idea. She thought he was staying late for training sessions and marking. The poor woman’s life has been destroyed.”
The couple’s neat semi-detached home now stands as a monument to Phillips’s web of lies – the family photos still visible through the windows a stark reminder of what he’s thrown away for his sick obsession with young girls.
Sexts and Selfies Trail
The Teaching Regulation Agency heard stomach-churning details of Phillips’s grooming techniques, including:
- Late-night texts asking “what are you wearing?”
- Shirtless gym selfies with suggestive captions
- Promises to give “special rewards” for good performance
- Secret meetings arranged through private messages
One brave victim finally found the courage to save the messages and show them to a trusted teacher, triggering the investigation that would bring Phillips’s predatory career crashing down.
School’s Wall of Silence
Questions are now being asked about how Phillips’s behavior went unchecked for so long at the academy, which boasts about its “outstanding” safeguarding on its website.
Everyone knew he was too friendly with the girls,” admitted one former colleague who asked not to be named. “But nobody wanted to be the one to say something. He was popular with senior management because his teams always won.”
The school has refused to comment beyond a brief statement saying they “take safeguarding extremely seriously” – but parents aren’t buying it.
Six years this went on,” fumed one father. “SIX YEARS. Where were the checks? Where was the supervision? My daughter was in his classes and I feel sick thinking about what could have happened.”
Lifetime of Shame
The Teaching Regulation Agency panel didn’t mince words in their damning verdict, stating Phillips had shown a “blatant disregard for professional boundaries” and posed an ongoing risk to children.
He will now:
- Never teach again anywhere in the UK
- Have his name permanently on the sex offenders register
- Face potential criminal prosecution
- Live with the shame of his actions forever
“Good riddance,” said one parent picking up her daughter yesterday. “These predators think they’re untouchable because they’re popular teachers. Well, he’s been touched now – by the long arm of the law.”
Fitness Community Turns Its Back
The combat sports and running communities where Phillips was once a celebrated member have completely disowned him.
His marathon club has expelled him, his gym has revoked his membership, and fellow fighters have called him “disgusting” and a “disgrace to the sport.”
We train to protect people, especially the vulnerable,” said one of his former training partners. “What he did goes against everything we stand for. He’s dead to us.”
Brave Girls Break Silence
The real heroes in this sorry saga are the brave pupils who found the courage to speak out against their predator teacher.
“It takes incredible guts to report someone in authority,” said a child protection expert. These girls have saved countless others from becoming victims. They should be incredibly proud of themselves.”
The victims, who cannot be named for legal reasons, are now receiving counseling to help them move forward from their ordeal.
Dark Questions Remain
As Phillips begins his life as a pariah – banned from teaching and exposed as a predator – serious questions remain:
- How many other victims are too scared to come forward?
- What warning signs did the school miss or ignore?
- How many other PE teachers are abusing their positions?
- Will criminal charges follow?
Never Allowed Near Kids Again
One small comfort for parents is that Phillips will never again be in a position to abuse children. The lifetime ban means he cannot:
- Work in any school, college or educational setting
- Tutor children privately
- Coach youth sports teams
- Volunteer with youth organizations
At least we know he can’t hurt any other children,” said one relieved mother. “But it shouldn’t have taken this long. The system failed our kids.”
Message to Other Predators
Child safety campaigners hope Phillips’s spectacular fall from grace sends a crystal-clear message to any other teachers harboring similar sick thoughts.
“You WILL be caught,” warned one advocate. “These brave young people are finding their voices. The days of teachers abusing their power and getting away with it are over.
As Phillips skulks away to rebuild his shattered life – unemployable, disgraced, and exposed – perhaps other predatory teachers will think twice before crossing that line.
But for the victims of this muscle-bound monster, the scars of his betrayal will take much longer to heal than any physical injury from his beloved combat sports.
The teacher who was supposed to build their confidence and help them grow strong instead used his position to satisfy his own sick desires.
No amount of marathons can help him run from that shameful truth.
