A FORMER Bangor headteacher who was jailed for child sex abuse earlier this year may have been offending for more than four decades, with four times as many victims as previously thought.

Neil Foden, 67, formerly of Ysgol Friars, was sentenced to 17 years in prison in July, having been found guilty of sexually abusing four girls between 2019 and 2023. 

But a BBC Wales Investigates programme, due to air tonight (October 8), will reveal allegations of abuse from as far back as 1979.

The programme hears from three women who say they, too, were abused by Foden - speaking publicly for the first time, they describe being targeted by him.

Jo - not her real name – says Foden sent her hundreds of messages from his personal email account and mobile phone.

She said: "It was back and forth every day, in school, out of school, morning, night, any time… he made me feel like I was special.

“He'd give me hugs and I didn't always want them so I'd pull back, then he'd pull me in stronger... just without reason, his hands would go under my jumper.”

Jo says she only realised she had been groomed by Foden after details emerged following his arrest in September 2023.

"The police came to me... they said that there were over 20 other people who were in similar situations as myself," she said.

Nia, not her real name, says Foden would also target her, adding: “Usually, his right arm would be rubbing up against my breast and I felt I couldn't move.

"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.” 

She said she didn’t report Foden at the time because she didn’t think anyone would believe her, but she did speak to police after his arrest in 2023.

“This abuse has been going on for decades... you don't suddenly wake up in 2019 and decide to become a paedophile," she said. 

Rose – not her real name – says he sexually assaulted her in December 2022.

“He definitely knew how to take advantage of situations where people were vulnerable,” she said.

She says she didn’t tell anyone at the time, but after his arrest, she did make a statement to North Wales Police, which led to him being charged, but the case did not make it to trial.

Gwynedd Council said an independent Child Practice Review would "identify what lessons are to be learned" to prevent similar cases. 

It says “it will leave no stone unturned” to ensure the review has the information it needs, but Jo and Nia said they have not been contacted by anyone involved in the review. 

The Child Practice Review board said they were unaware of the two women until being contacted by the BBC.

They said they are “fully aware they may be other victims or survivors” and that they would like to hear from them.

Solicitor Kathryn Yates said the council could end up with "a bill for millions" in compensation and legal costs in relation to Foden's offending.

She is representing 12 people who say have suffered because of Foden, and is taking legal action against the council on their behalf.

She said: “There is a mixture of serious sexual abuse, physical abuse and emotional abuse.

“The council are vicariously liable for the actions of their employees. 

"His actions have impacted on so many lives, that of children, their families, staff... I think he could and should have been stopped a lot sooner."