EDUCATION SECRETARY Ruth Kelly faced renewed pressure last night after the revelation a second sex offender found work in an English school.

The latest development came as a Dundee charity working with children who have been sexually abused demanded more protection for them from Government.

A key aide to Ms Kelly said the minister was “getting on with her job” despite coming under “considerable pressure” in the ongoing row.

But parents’ groups and opposition MPs said the minister was not off the hook.

The second case follows the controversy over Norfolk PE teacher Paul Reeve.

In 1980, William Gibson (59) was convicted for indecent assault on a child but has since worked at two schools in South Tyneside and one in neighbouring Co Durham.

Like Mr Reeve, it is understood Gibson was not on the education department’s List 99, which contains the names of those banned for life from working in schools.

In 2003, Gibson taught maths for three months at St Joseph’s RC Comprehensive School in Hebburn until his history was uncovered.

Despite being revealed as a convicted sex offender he was given work in October 2004 at another school, nearby Hebburn Comprehensive.

He lasted just one day before his past was discovered and he was asked to leave.

Less than six months later the former financial adviser found temporary work at a school in Co Durham, where he worked for a day before being thrown out.

Amid the row, Dundee charity Eighteen And Under issued a challenge to First Minister Jack McConnell to do more to protect children from paedophiles, writes Jim Hislop.

Co-ordinator Laurie Matthew, told The Courier, “We are horrified to discover that despite there being 2800 convicted sex offenders registered in Scotland only 63 were actually banned from working with children.

“This beggars belief. We are talking about people who have been convicted in the courts of sexual offences and yet, because of child protection loopholes, they can get jobs working with children.

“We call upon Mr McConnell to give an undertaking that no-one who has been convicted of abusing children or who poses a risk to children will be allowed to work with Scotland’s children.”

She said it was “nothing short of horrendous” that abused children risk facing an abuser at an after-school club or sports activity.

Ms Matthew pointed out private employers can ignore advice given by checks agency Disclosure Scotland.

She said, “We need one central database to pull together information from all sources that should include not just paedophiles who have been convicted but also the names of those who are deemed by relevant authorities to be potential offenders.

“We call on the First Minister to make this a matter of the highest priority and bring in new legislation as a matter of urgency to close this loophole in our child protection system.”

At First Minister’s question time on Thursday, Mr McConnell pledged to tighten up the present system.

However, he would not be drawn on the question of additional legislation, other than to say making the sex offenders register retrospective would mean a change in the law.

Meanwhile, the situation in England is reaching “crisis point,” according to Margaret Morrissey of the National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations.

She said, “We still want an apology. Ruth Kelly should apologise to parents and explain to them how this could ever happen.”

“It seems that we are going to find people across the length and breadth of the country who have committed offences against children and for whatever reason the department for education has failed to pick them up.

“This seems to me to be a system in crisis and a secretary of state who has no idea what her department is doing. It is unforgivable.”

On Thursday night, fellow minister Kim Howells admitted he—and not Ruth Kelly—had approved Mr Reeve to teach.

Mr Reeve worked for eight days at the Hewett School in Norwich, despite receiving a police caution for accessing banned images of children on the internet.

Dr Howells, then an education minister, approved Mr Reeve in Ms Kelly’s absence last May.

Downing Street and Foreign Secretary Jack Straw insisted they had full confidence in Dr Howells, now at the Foreign Office.

Jonathan Shaw, a Labour MP and Ms Kelly’s parliamentary private secretary, also offered support for the education secretary.

“She remains calm and confident and is getting on with her job,” said Mr Shaw.

“It is actually quite remarkable, her resilience and her mood.

“She is held in high regard and there is a lot of warmth and affection for Ruth in the Parliamentary Labour Party.”