North Wales PoliceMonths after a council decided not to investigate concerns about a headmaster’s “closeness to some girls”, a second safeguarding issue was raised, it has emerged.
Last year, Neil Foden was jailed for 17 years for sexually abusing four children in north Wales between 2019 and 2023.
Foden started working at Ysgol Friars in Bangor in 1989 and became head teacher in 1997. He was also the strategic head of Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle in Penygroes.
New evidence gathered by -produced Newyddion S4C, shows that Cyngor Gwynedd decided not to investigate concerns raised, before another concern, believed to be made in 2019, was raised by a staff member in the neighbouring local authority of Anglesey.
An Anglesey council spokesperson confirmed it had “co-operated fully” with “all agencies” and “referred the suspicions about Foden to the responsible agency in accordance with the Child Protection Guidelines that were in place in 2019”.
However, the spokesperson did not confirm which agencies it shared the suspicions about Foden with, or if it shared directly with Cyngor Gwynedd.
Several sources say Cyngor Gwynedd did receive an official notice of a concern that was originally raised by an Anglesey employee, and it appears that no official investigation was held.
Cyngor Gwynedd has been asked several times for clarification regarding this matter but say that all “related information” they hold has been shared with the Child Practice Review (CPR) panel.
The CPR was established following Foden’s arrest to look into what happened.
One of the panel confirmed the above issues “have been highlighted” and “covered”, but members cannot comment any further at present, and their “aim is for the report to be published at the end of September”.
GoogleIn a statement, Anglesey council said that “sensitive information regarding this serious matter cannot be released”.
However, it added “the public has a right to know that the island’s child protection procedures have been followed in this matter and remain strong and responsible”.
The local authority’s chief executive Dylan Williams said he wanted to “extend our deepest condolences” to all children and families who have suffered because of Foden.
“As well as sympathising with the victims, the authority has ensured that everyone who has asked for support has received a suitable service,” he added.
A Cyngor Gwynedd spokesperson said: “It is a matter of deep regret that various concerns have been raised about Neil Foden over the years, and despite the fact that we have worked with the police and other agencies, our response was not enough to prevent his crimes.
“The CPR is a major step forward to enable us to get to the bottom of this, and we will welcome all the recommendations it makes.
“When the report is published in September, we are committed to act upon every recommendation that is relevant to us as a council.”
The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed that a “key worker” who gave evidence at Foden’s trial last year “did raise concerns with the police” and that these concerns were raised “following Foden’s arrest”.
The witness told the court that in 2019 she had weekly meetings with one of the victims, known as Child E.
She explained that the purpose of the meetings was to discuss “personal and confidential matters”.
It came to light in Foden’s trial that he began grooming and sexually abusing Child E in 2019.
Foden would refer to this girl as his “sex toy”. The victim also joined Foden when he travelled away to events, sometimes staying in hotels with him.
The key worker told the court that her meetings with Child E, usually took place “in private” in a classroom.
But, during the summer holidays things changed and the meetings were held in a different room with Foden always present.
North Wales Police was unable to confirm if the key worker at the trial worked for Anglesey council at the time, but said they were made aware of her concerns “post arrest of Foden and that formed part of the trial”.
