In the case of Mr G Hughes v The Governing Body of Llansantffraid Church in Wales Primary School, Gareth Hughes was the Headteacher of Llansantffraid School. He commenced what he describes in his ET1 as an “affair” with Miss X. There is no suggestion that sex took place, but it is accepted the relationship was in essence an emotional affair. Mr Hughes was married, and Miss X was a parent of children at Llansantffraid. They met through the school.
Mr Hughes kept his relationship with Miss X a secret, including after his deputy headteacher and deputy safeguarding lead raised concerns with him about safeguarding and placing himself in a vulnerable position with Miss X’s family as the children were in his office frequently outside of core school hours, including during school holidays. Mr Hughes also spent time with the children without their mother present, including on an overnight stay in London as part of a ‘recce’ for a school trip.
Mr Hughes was arrested following an anonymous tip-off, but no further action was taken and the investigation was handed back to Powys County Council. He was suspended but a further investigation found that correct procedures had not been followed.
Mr Hughes was the school’s designated safeguarding officer, and it was found that he had been messaging the children through school-issued iPads. Mr Hughes was eventually sacked in 2018 after an investigation by an independent employment law barrister, who was appointed by the school.
He found that there was a case for disciplinary action because of 11 questions of ‘inappropriate behaviour’ around the parent and children. An eventual appeal was launched after Mr Hughes called the decision “a sick and perverted interpretation of events to accuse him of having created a risk of emotional abuse for children”, but that failed.
In its summary, the tribunal found the schools’ view that Mr Hughes had acted with gross misconduct to be correct.
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