A report into a Gwynedd headteacher who sexually assaulted children will not be made public.

The report delves into fears raised about Neil Foden’s behaviour before his arrest.

The Ysgol Friars headteacher and strategic head of Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle secondary school was jailed in July 2024 for sexually abusing four young girls. He was sentenced to 17 years.

Gwynedd Council commissioned a barrister-led investigation into events in 2019 when they did not look into concerns about Foden and his relationships with some girls.

The council say the report will not being shared with the public or their own councillors because of "sensitive and confidential information, including information about children, details about employment matters and personal data" contained within it, and following talks with its response programme board they were advised to get "legal opinion from independent experts" to see what was "appropriate and legal to publish".

It is believed that four members of staff were part of a decision not to investigate Foden in 2019, and three still work for the council.

When asked about the report Gwynedd Council said: “The horrific crimes committed by Neil Foden continue to have a far-reaching impact on the people and communities of Gwynedd. The victims and their families continue to be in our thoughts as we investigate what went wrong and what more we can do to ensure that children are safe in our schools.

“Cyngor Gwynedd has sought the advice of experts from various fields at every stage to ensure that investigations are thorough, transparent and that any findings are handled appropriately. We would also note that the Council is already putting recommendations into action.

“As outlined in the Response Plan published in January, the Council has commissioned an independent barrister who specialises in safeguarding investigations to look into the specific incidents in 2019 highlighted during Neil Foden’s criminal trial. This rigorous work was completed three weeks ago, and the independent investigators who are carrying out the statutory Child Practice Review (CPR) were sent a copy of the report immediately.

“The report contains sensitive and confidential information, including information about children, details of employment issues and personal data about individuals. Like any responsible organisation, Cyngor Gwynedd must act within the law when dealing with such information, including laws which ensure privacy for children, data protection laws, and employment laws. In addition, any potential impact on the victims is at the forefront of our minds at every step of these investigations.

“Bearing all this in mind, the Council asked for the views of the Response Plan Programme Board, which is chaired by former Children's Commissioner for Wales Sally Holland and includes representatives from the leading national child safeguarding organisations, including the Welsh Government, the Office of the Children's Commissioner for Wales and ESTYN.

“The board's view was that the Council should seek legal opinions from independent experts on our next steps and what is appropriate and lawful to publish from the report. This is underway, and we look forward to receiving this expert guidance as soon as possible.”