Victims of a former headteacher jailed for sexual abuse have expressed anger that he continues to receive his teachers’ pension while serving a prison sentence, a UK Government department has been told.
Neil Foden, a former headteacher in north Wales, was sentenced in 2024 to 17 years in prison after being convicted of sexually abusing four girls. Despite the convictions, he remains entitled to receive his occupational pension, a situation that has drawn criticism from politicians, local leaders and those affected by his crimes.
Foden previously served as headteacher at Ysgol Friars in Bangor and later as strategic head of Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle. He had a long career in education, entering the profession in 1979 and becoming headteacher at Ysgol Friars in 1997.
Parliamentary pressure over pension rules
The issue was raised in the House of Commons by Liz Saville Roberts, who represents Dwyfor Meirionnydd and leads Plaid Cymru at Westminster. She called on the UK Government to review whether Foden should continue to receive pension payments following his conviction.
Speaking during Commons proceedings, Saville Roberts said victims had been left angry and distressed by the fact that Foden remains entitled to what she described as a generous pension, despite the seriousness of his offences.
She argued that the case highlighted a gap in current rules governing public sector pensions, where entitlements are not automatically withdrawn following criminal convictions, even in cases involving abuse of trust.
Local authority condemnation
Gwynedd Council, Foden’s former employer, has also condemned the situation. Council leader Nia Jeffreys said she would continue to press the UK Government to remove Foden’s pension entitlements, describing the current position as unacceptable.
Jeffreys said the council itself does not have the legal authority to stop the pension payments, as responsibility lies with central government rather than local authorities.
She told Welsh-language broadcaster S4C that if the decision were within the council’s powers, action would already have been taken. She added that she hoped any pension payments already made could eventually be recovered.
Responsibility lies with central government
Under existing arrangements, decisions relating to teachers’ pensions fall under the responsibility of the UK Government’s Department for Education, rather than individual councils or devolved administrations.
Current pension rules allow payments to continue unless specific legal thresholds are met. Critics argue that this framework does not adequately reflect cases where individuals have committed serious crimes while holding positions of trust in the public sector.
The Department for Education has not announced any immediate changes to pension policy in response to the case.
Background to the convictions
Foden’s offending came to light in September 2023, when he was arrested following complaints made to police. He was later charged with 20 offences relating to five girls.
Following a trial in 2024, he was convicted of 19 offences involving four victims. During sentencing, the judge described him as a domineering individual who had concealed a pattern of abuse over many years.
Victims who gave evidence spoke of the lasting impact of the abuse, which occurred while Foden held senior leadership positions within schools.
Failures identified in safeguarding review
A child practice review published in November 2025 examined how Foden was able to continue offending for years without being stopped. The report identified 52 missed opportunities where concerns could have been escalated or acted upon more effectively.
The review concluded that systemic failures across multiple institutions allowed Foden to evade scrutiny despite repeated warning signs. The findings prompted renewed calls for reforms to safeguarding oversight and accountability within the education system.
What this means
The case has reignited debate over whether public sector pension rules adequately reflect accountability in cases involving serious abuse of trust. While criminal courts can impose lengthy prison sentences, financial penalties and loss of professional status are governed by separate legal frameworks.
For victims, the continuation of pension payments has become a symbol of what they see as incomplete justice. For policymakers, the issue raises wider questions about how public sector entitlements should be handled when individuals are convicted of grave offences committed while in positions of authority.
