Family take action over paedophile head teacher

Neil Foden was jailed for 17 years after being found guilty of 19 charges of sexual abuse

The family of a child who claim they were emotionally and physically abused by a paedophile head teacher are taking legal action against the local education authority.

Neil Foden, 66, from Old Colwyn in Conwy county, was jailed for 17 years after being found guilty of 19 charges of sexual abuse involving four girls over a four-year period last month.

These included 12 counts of sexual activity with a child and two counts of sexual activity with a child while he was in a position of trust.

The action being taken against the local council, Cyngor Gwynedd, involves a child who was not part of the criminal trial.

Foden started working at Ysgol Friars in Bangor in 1989 and became head teacher in 1997. He was also the strategic head of another school.

During his trial at Mold Crown Court, it was revealed that concerns were raised with Cyngor Gwynedd's then director of education, Garem Jackson, over Foden's solo meetings with one of the victims in 2019, which the council did not formally investigate.

Foden had also previously been found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct in 2020, after the Education Workforce council panel heard allegations against him from three members of staff.

Now a law firm which specialises in investigating and claiming compensation for victims of childhood abuse is appealing for anyone who suffered abuse of any kind by Foden to come forward.

North Wales head teacher Neil Foden abused teenage girls over a four-year period, but could he have been stopped?

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Solicitor Katherine Yates said the case "raises a lot of questions".

"There seems to be a long history of complaints against Foden, so why wasn't anything done sooner?" she said.

Cyngor Gwynedd said it was "appalled" by Foden's actions and its "thoughts continue to be with the victims and their families".

But it said it could not comment further while a review of the case is under way.

It said the North Wales Safeguarding Board had begun to carry out a children's practice review, which is led by an independent chair and two experienced reviewers, in accordance with Welsh government guidelines.

"The review will bring together organisations such as Cyngor Gwynedd, relevant schools and other bodies to identify what lessons are to be learned and what improvements need to be introduced to ensure the safety and well-being of vulnerable children and to prevent similar cases from happening again.

"Until all this independent review has been completed, it would not be appropriate for Cyngor Gwynedd to comment further."