THE head of a national domestic abuse charity has criticised the University of Sussex after its lecturer was allowed to continue teaching after attacking his student girlfriend.

Lee Salter was convicted in June of assaulting Allison Smith in September last year, but continued teaching after his arrest and up to his conviction.

Sandra Horley, chief executive of Refuge, told the Argus there should be a zero-tolerance policy on violence connected to the workplace and practical measures in place to support victims and deal with perpetrators.

She added: "University students have a right to study and live in a safe environment and any risk to their physical and emotional wellbeing should be dealt with promptly by any university.

"Why do institutions have criminal record checks if, once in post, crimes of this type can be committed without any meaningful consequence?

“Victims need sympathetic, non-judgmental support and should be signposted to specialist domestic violence services.

"It is one thing for a university to have a policy in place for students whose safety is at risk, it is another thing to implement it and develop a safety management plan."

The University of Sussex has stressed Salter, 40, of Aberdeen Road, Brighton, had no contact with students after his conviction, and said it monitored the situation closely throughout, assessing risk to students.

It has pledged to review its policies and procedures.

It announced last weekend that Salter, who is appealing his conviction for assault, had left his post, nearly two months after his conviction in June.

Ms Horley added: “Perpetrators of domestic violence, inside or outside of the workplace, need to know that there will be serious consequences for their violent behaviour.

"Universities need to ensure that all staff are aware of domestic violence, a crime which affects one in four women in their lifetime, and that they have training in the policies and support available.

“Two women a week are killed in England and Wales by a current or former partner. Domestic violence should be treated as seriously as any other crime."

A Sussex University spokesman added: "The University does not tolerate violence of any sort and the safety of our students is absolutely paramount."