The married father-of-two added: I love kids and I’m the last person who would ever want to harm a child. I didn’t make a decision to hurt the boy, it just happened.
Passing sentence Judge Michael Stokes QC said: “On any view this is a tragic case.
“You are a thoroughly decent man and for well over 20 years you have been a dedicated and successful schoolteacher.
“The incident involving the 14-year-old boy whom you assaulted was brought about, I have no doubt, by a number of factors combining together and producing in you a quite disproportionate reaction to misbehaviour, abuse and rank disobedience by him and some of his classmates.
“In previous years you would have handled this easily and professionally but in July of last year you were far from well.
“You were undoubtedly suffering from depression, stress and a serious lack of confidence.”
