GIRL GROOMED BY JAILED HEADTEACHER DENIED COMPENSATION BY COUNCIL INSURERS

A former pupil has described suffering nightmares and flashbacks after claiming she was groomed by Neil Foden, a former headteacher convicted of sexual offences. The girl, identified as Meg, said the grooming occurred in 2023 when she was 14 and a pupil at Ysgol Friars in Bangor, Gwynedd. Foden was jailed for 17 years in 2024 for a series of sexual offences against young girls. Meg stated that no physical or sexual assault took place, but she says the psychological impact of his behaviour continues to affect her.

Foden offered Meg one-to-one support sessions after she struggled at school, conducting 17 unofficial "therapy sessions" in his office. He instructed her not to tell her parents about the meetings whilst simultaneously asking her parents not to discuss the arrangement with her, according to Meg's account. She said she felt unable to refuse and gradually began to trust him, eventually noticing his behaviour towards her change. Meg believes she is the "new girl" referenced in an independent Child Practice Review published in November 2025, which examined safeguarding failures linked to Foden's offending.

Cyngor Gwynedd's insurers have invited Meg to withdraw her compensation claim, which she seeks to cover therapy costs. The letter stated there was "no legal liability" in relation to her claim and made "no suggestion" that Foden touched her. The council said all compensation cases relating to Foden remain under consideration. Meg now says she must prove the effect of the alleged grooming on her own wellbeing.