A TEACHER who wiped spit on a disruptive pupil's face has had her conviction for common assault overturned.

The 43-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, admitted she had committed the act to teach the 11-year-old a lesson that spitting was wrong.

She shed tears of relief at Southampton Crown Court after Judge Christopher Leigh QC quashed her sentence.

Southampton magistrates had previously given the teacher a two-year conditional discharge for a charge of assault by beating.

Three months on, the former Hampshire policewoman, who has 18 years' experience in teaching, can now continue with her career and good character intact.

The case has led to teaching unions condemning the number of false allegations made against teachers for assaulting pupils.

Quashing the conviction, Judge Christopher Leigh QC said that he and the two magistrates sitting with him at the appeal hearing could not be sure what exactly happened on November 15 last year with the two versions of events brought forward by the prosecution and defence.