Paedophile head may have abused over four decades

A paedophile caput teacher whitethorn person abused pupils for much than 40 years, with 4 times arsenic galore victims than antecedently thought.

Neil Foden was jailed for 17 years for sexually abusing 4 children in northbound Wales betwixt 2019 and 2023.

But a BBC Wales probe has heard allegations going backmost to 1979, and from 2 women who accidental constabulary told them determination were up to 20 imaginable victims.

Serious concerns person been raised astir a reappraisal designed to "learn lessons" from Foden's case, contempt section authorization Cyngor Gwynedd vowing a sheet overseeing this volition beryllium "given each the accusation it needs".

She said she was groomed by her caput teacher for 5 years, starting erstwhile she would conscionable with him connected a regular ground successful his bureau portion a pupil astatine Ysgol Friars successful Gwynedd, northbound Wales.

Foden would besides connection her from his idiosyncratic email relationship and mobile phone.

"There’s astir 400, 500 [messages] connected his idiosyncratic email to my idiosyncratic email account," she said.

"It was backmost and distant each day, successful school, retired of school, morning, night, immoderate time.

"He made maine consciousness similar I was special.”

Jo was successful the attraction system, known to beryllium a susceptible child, and said she was targeted by Foden.

"My intelligence wellness was astatine its lowest, I was self-harming... having panic attacks daily. I didn't person anyone astir me, immoderate enactment system," she said.

"He'd springiness maine hugs and I didn't ever privation them truthful I'd propulsion back, past he'd propulsion maine successful stronger... conscionable without reason, his hands would spell nether my jumper.

"He often checked my arms and my legs to spot if I'd self-harmed. I often wore a skirt, truthful he'd assistance the skirt up to person a look."

Jo said different teachers and unit would spot her getting into Foden's car alone.

She added: "They'd marque comments connected however fortunate I was to person him thrust maine home, oregon to thrust maine to appointments.

"He'd spot his manus connected my thigh... determination was truthful galore things that shouldn't person happened.”

Jo was made alert of the grade of Foden's maltreatment aft his apprehension astatine his schoolhouse successful September 2023.

"The constabulary came to me... they said that determination were implicit 20 different radical who were successful akin situations arsenic myself," she said.

During Foden’s trial, it emerged that concerns astir his closeness to definite teenage girls had been raised successful 2019.

The interest was passed to Cyngor Gwynedd, but it was decided determination would beryllium nary ceremonial probe arsenic nary circumstantial allegations had been made.

My Headteacher the Paedophile - BBC Wales Investigates

Watch the afloat programme connected BBC iPlayer.

Nia, not her existent name, was 1 of the archetypal pupils Foden taught astatine Ysgol Dyffryn Ogwen successful 1979. She said Foden would people her erstwhile they were some unsocial successful his classroom.

"He'd travel to the desk, basal down me... usually his close limb would beryllium rubbing up against my bosom and I felt I couldn't move," she said.

"As a 13-year-old, I didn't realise precisely what was going on. I was petrified of him, I was susceptible astatine that property and naïve, and helium knew it."

Nia didn’t study Foden astatine the clip due to the fact that she didn’t deliberation anyone would judge her, but did talk to constabulary aft his apprehension successful 2023.

"This maltreatment has been going connected for decades... you don't abruptly aftermath up successful 2019 and determine to go a paedophile," she said.

Nia said what happened to her has had a lasting impact.

"The older I've got, the much I recognise what's going connected for maine successful relationships, with partners. I tin ne'er spot anybody... that’s a lifelong thing.”

The section authority, Cyngor Gwynedd, said an independent review would "identify what lessons are to beryllium learned" to forestall akin cases successful the future.

But Jo and Nia accidental they person not been contacted by anyone progressive successful the review.

"They decidedly request to bash thing stronger, clasp everyone who was accountable," Jo told the BBC Wales Investigates programme. "It's not conscionable capable to accidental they request to bash better, they request to beryllium forced to bash better.”

A child signifier reappraisal board said it is "fully alert determination whitethorn beryllium galore different victims oregon survivors" and it would similar to perceive from them.

Katherine Yates, a solicitor representing a twelve radical who accidental they person suffered due to the fact that of Foden, is taking ineligible enactment against Cyngor Gwynedd connected their behalf.

"There is simply a substance of superior intersexual abuse, carnal maltreatment and affectional abuse," she said.

"The archetypal lawsuit is present successful her 50s, my youngest is 14... the assembly are vicariously liable for the actions of their employees.

"His actions person impacted connected truthful galore lives, that of children, their families, staff... I deliberation helium could and should person been stopped a batch sooner."

While Foden was abusing girls successful 2019, Cyngor Gwynedd's attraction was focused connected bullying allegations made against him by staff.

BBC Wales Investigates has seen a transcript of a confidential study which raised concerns astir his behaviour, informing that enactment should beryllium taken.

Foden was past reprimanded by the teaching regulator and kicked retired of his national successful 2020.

Yet, a twelvemonth later, successful 2021, helium was fixed much work arsenic a "strategic super-head" overseeing 2 antithetic schools successful northbound Wales.

One unit member, Rose, not her existent name, said she approached Foden successful his bureau successful December 2022 astir a idiosyncratic issue.

"I had explained the concern to him... and past helium asked a precise disconnected kilter question astir sex, which benignant of threw maine a small bit," she said.

"Your leader wouldn't usually inquire you astir sex. It's not a mean thing, is it?"

She said helium past gave her a hug, which "moved into intersexual assault".

"Basically.... helium conscionable enactment his manus down my pants," she said.

Rose said she didn’t study Foden astatine the time, though she did talk to constabulary aft his arrest, which led to him being charged, but the lawsuit did not marque it to trial.

Cyngor Gwynedd has repeatedly been asked for an interrogation by BBC Wales, but has declined.

In a statement, it said it volition "leave nary chromatic unturned" to guarantee the child signifier review is provided with "all applicable accusation held by the assembly regarding each concerns raised".

"It would not beryllium due for Cyngor Gwynedd to remark connected this circumstantial substance until the sheet has concluded its work," a spokesperson added.