Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.
A former head teacher from Swansea has been prohibited from working in schools across Wales for a minimum of 15 years after exposing himself to staff both at school and during a school trip. James ‘Jamie’ Richards held the position of head teacher at Cadle Primary School in Swansea from 2011 until 2021. His conduct was deemed “predatory” and “sexualised” by a professional standards panel, which found all allegations against him to be substantiated. As a result, Richards is banned from working in both maintained and non-maintained educational settings.
The four-day hearing unveiled testimonies from current and former staff who spoke about the trauma caused by Richards’ behaviour. Panel chair Sue Davies characterized his actions as “harassing, abusive, and predatory.” Richards did not attend the hearing conducted by the Education Workforce Council (EWC), the regulatory body for education staff in Wales, nor did he have any legal representation. He also chose not to respond to the claims made against him, leading the panel to treat all allegations as denied. Despite this, the panel concluded that Richards’ exposure incidents were sexual in nature and constituted unacceptable professional conduct.
Several female staff members reported feeling “shocked,” “numb,” and “frightened” by Richards’ inappropriate behaviour. Instances included one staff member being summoned to his office only to find him standing with his trousers and pants down, while another described how he showed explicit images on his phone during a meeting. On yet another occasion, Richards allegedly played a video of himself engaging in inappropriate acts. The panel was told that Richards sometimes appeared apologetic after such incidents, admitting to one woman that he “can’t help myself.” Altogether, five women recounted experiences where he exposed himself, which left them too scared to formally report him.
The investigation revealed additional concerning details, such as Richards’ failure to return a laptop provided during an internal inquiry. It was alleged the laptop had been used to display naked images of himself. Victims expressed feeling disbelieved and unsupported, especially after South Wales Police concluded in late 2021 that there was no criminal case to answer. One woman lamented the school and police’s handling of the situation, stating that Richards was able to resign while suspended during the ongoing internal investigation. She described feeling silenced while he seemingly “got away with it.”
Chair Sue Davies noted Richards had declined to be interviewed in the school’s independent investigation, claiming ill health through his union prevented him from giving evidence. However, the panel heard that a Swansea Council fraud team tracked Richards during this period and filmed him engaging in activities such as driving and playing golf with friends, contradicting his claims of illness. Sara Lewis, presenting officer for the EWC, highlighted the aggravating factor of Richards abusing his trusted position and instructing victims not to speak out.
The panel, lacking any information on whether Richards is currently employed or intends to return to teaching, ruled that he must be struck off the EWC register. He will be barred from applying for reinstatement until at least November 2040. Richards has the option to appeal the decision to the High Court within 28 days. South Wales Police have been contacted for comment
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.