Welsh school headmaster sentenced to 17 years’ imprisonment for 19 counts of child sexual abuse.

Neil Foden, 67, was the former longtime headmaster of Ysgol Friars, Bangor, and strategic head of Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle, Penygroes. Foden was also a prominent member of the National Education Union and was viewed by many of his peers as a progressive reformer of the education system. 

Following his arrest in September 2023, he was sentenced  to 17 years’ imprisonment on 1 July at Mold Crown Court. Foden was convicted of a total of 19 sexual offences committed against four children between 2017 and 2023. The court found Foden not guilty of a further charge of sexual offence against a fifth girl. 

Police investigating Foden have confirmed they found a pair of lace handcuffs containing one girls’ DNA in his car, while several victims complained of teachers knowing Foden would offer to drive students home. They were considered ‘lucky’ for it, one girl recently told a BBC investigation. Foden is believed to have driven the girls to remote roads to ‘have a play’, while referring to at least one girl as his ‘little sex toy’. 

Foden is also believed to have committed sexual abuse while at the school, with victims stating they would be targeted when alone in the classroom. ‘He’d come to the desk, stand behind me... usually his right arm would be rubbing up against my breast and I felt I couldn't move’, one girl said. She added that ‘as a 13-year-old, I didn't realise exactly what was going on. I was petrified of him, I was vulnerable at that age and naïve, and he knew it’. 

Another girl explained the lasting impact of Foden’s abuse on her life. ‘The older I've got, the more I recognise what's going on for me in relationships, with partners. I can never trust anybody... that’s a lifelong thing’.

Foden’s arrest and subsequent conviction come after he was found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct in 2020, and was then seen to have grabbed a student on a video uploaded to social media in 2022. 

Handing down sentencing for the sexual offences, Judge Rowlands commented on the clear arrogance and confidence of Foden that, by bullying those around him, he ‘felt like no-one would stand up to’ him or disclose their abuse. He further added that ‘it is clear that, were it not for the courage of the victims and support offered by their families and the thoroughness of the investigation by police, there is every possibility you would have continued to offend’. 

Judge Rowlands further attested to his belief that the lack of formal investigation conducted by the local authority, Foden’s employer, not only enabled him to go unpunished for so long, but ‘emboldened’ him to continue. 

Neil Foden was characterised by the court as a ‘bombastic and domineering character’ who abused his position of authority, showing a degree of pre-planning to his acts of abuse. 

Foden was judged to have shown ‘no remorse’ nor ‘an ounce of contrition’ or ‘insight into the very serious harm you have caused’ not shown an ounce of contrition and have no insight into the very serious harm you have caused."

Neil Foden has now been placed on the sex offender register for life, and is barred from ever working with children. 

However, a recent BBC Wales investigation responsible for the BBC iPlayer documentary ‘My Headteacher the Paedophile’ found that the investigating police force had commented as to there being 20 or more victims. Since then, a number of individuals have come forward to allege abuse by Foden, dating from as far back as 1979 during the early days of the his teaching career. 

Following the court’s decision, Cyngor Gwynedd, Foden’s former employer, announced that ‘a review has since been launched to identify lessons to be learnt’, adding that they will leave ‘no stone unturned’. However, a spokesperson refused to comment further despite calls from Eluned Morgan, First Minister of Wales, to not overlook the stories of other possible victims, who should be listened to ‘very, very carefully’. 

Rocio Cifuentes, Children’s Commissioner for Wales, is now considering options of conducting her own investigation, considering all allegations of abuse brought forward, following this ‘significant development’. 

However, Foden’s abuse is believed to relate not just to sexual acts. He is believed to have also physically abused a number of former pupils, both boys and girls, who describe being pushed, grabbed and bullied, with one individual stating ‘he ran the class with terror’. 

In all, Neil Foden is regarded to have used his tenure as headmaster to abuse and bully not just students, but also making staff feel insecure in their job. 

‘Once Neil Foden pushes his way into your life, he won't let go’, said one former teacher. ‘He takes over your life’ added another former staff member, who describes being pushed out of her job. 

No charges are yet believed to have been publicly brought against Foden for the allegations of physical abuse he faces; however, it is clear that Foden may have abused a number of former pupils. 

Previous Article: Headteacher Neil Foden Charged with Child Sex Abuse Offences (jordanssolicitors.co.uk)

If you believe you may have experienced abuse in relation to Neil Foden, you may be entitled to compensation. 

At Jordans Solicitors, we have a specialist team experienced in representing victims of abuse. We would recommend that anyone who believes they may have suffered abuse get in touch.