Ex-headteacher who had ‘sexual obsession’ with young teenage girls jailed
A former secondary school headteacher who sexually assaulted four children has been jailed.
Neil Foden, who was the head of Ysgol Friars in North Wales when he committed his shocking 19 offences over a four-year period, was convicted following a trial in May.
The court heard how the 66-year-old had a ‘sexual obsession with young teenage girls’ and had been ‘determined’ to satisfy his ‘perverted desires’, which included a urination fetish.
When sentencing him to 17 years behind bars at Mold Crown Court today, Judge Rhys Rowlands described Foden as a ‘domineering’ and ‘bombastic’ character who was looked up to by many, but ‘managed to hide a dreadful secret’.
Judge Rowlands told him: ‘Your behaviour was born out of your arrogant sense of your self-worth, such that you believed no-one would stand up to you.
‘It is clear that you have no remorse. You have not shown an ounce of contrition for what you did and you have no insight into the undoubted very serious harm you have caused both to individual victims and to their families.’
‘He exploited both my body and mind and I feel tired and constantly sick as a result,’ one victim, who appeared in court to read a statement, said.
Another victim, who attended his sentencing in person, said: ‘I feel that when he made me go to court to give my evidence he wanted to hurt me for reporting him and, instead of justice, he wanted revenge.’
A statement made by a third girl abused by Foden was read to the court, in which she said: ‘I believed him when he said he loved me and I was the only one he wanted.
‘What Mr Foden has done is evil. It’s hit me hard and I’ll never forgive him.’
Foden’s grim abuse of teenage girls
During Foden’s trial, the court was shown a video of him holding hands with one of the girls, child A, as she sat in the back of his car, while he was in the driver’s seat.
Foden was arrested after child A showed an adult a photo of them together and screenshots of messages about oral sex.
The court heard he would pick her up in his car and drive them to secluded areas.
He encouraged child A to hug and kiss him, telling her she must ‘take it to the grave and not tell anyone’.
They exchanged messages on WhatsApp, with Foden telling the girl to delete the messages daily.
The messaging and contact soon became sexualised, with Foden sexually assaulting her several times, persisting even when she tried to stop him.
Another complainant, child E, told police she referred to Foden as ‘Mr P’, for perfect, while he called her ‘his little sex toy’.
She also described meeting him in his BMW car, which had personalised number plates, and driving to remote lay-bys and country lanes ‘for him to have a play with me’.
He sexually assaulted her many times in his car and also in hotels when she accompanied him on trips away overnight.
After Foden was arrested at the school in September 2023, police later found a pair of purple and black lace handcuffs in the boot of his car which had DNA present matching Foden and the youngster.
Foden was convicted of pinching the thigh of child B and putting his hand under her clothing and of placing his hands at the top of child C’s inner thighs.
He was cleared of one count of sexual activity with a child, where he was alleged to have touched the bottom of child D.
Foden, who was previously an executive member for the National Education Union, shook his head at some points as victim statements were read but showed no emotion when he was sentenced.
Duncan Bould, defending, said Foden had contributed in a positive way to the lives of others during his career as a teacher and a trades union representative.
He said: ‘All of those achievements are now lost to him because of his own behaviour, as is his reputation.’
The court heard concerns about Foden were raised with Gwynedd Council at an earlier stage but no investigation was carried out.
Following his convictions, a spokeswoman for the council said an independent review would take place.
Foden, of Old Colwyn, North Wales, was convicted of 12 counts of sexual activity with a child, two counts of sexual activity with a child in a position of trust, one count each of causing or inciting child sexual activity, attempting to arrange the commission of a child sex offence, sexual communication with a child, possession of indecent photographs of a child and sexual assault of a child.
He was also ordered to pay £4,000 towards prosecution costs, given a sexual harm prevention order for life, a ten-year restraining order prohibiting him from contacting his victims, and barred from teaching indefinitely.
Assistant chief constable Gareth Evans said: ‘North Wales Police welcome today’s sentence which reflects the appalling nature of Neil Foden’s crimes.
‘We share the shock and revulsion of our communities towards his actions.
‘As a headteacher, he was there to safeguard young people, to look after them and to develop them for a brighter future. Instead, he abused his position for his own sexual gratification.
‘I can’t overstate the impact that this has had on our communities, and particularly on young people in the area.
‘I want to thank the victims that came forward in this case. Their courage and strength in going through the ordeal of the trial is to be admired by everyone.
‘I have no doubt that their actions have saved future generations from being victims at the hands of Neil Foden.
‘I encourage anyone who has suffered sexual violence in the past to come forward. We are here to listen. We are here to support you. We will do our best for you.’
Earlier this year, a teacher was banned for life after having sex with a 15-year-old boy in a field.
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