Crown Prosecution Service States Judge’s Comment on Neil Foden’s Minimum Prison Term Was “Incorrect”

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has stated that the judge presiding over the case of paedophile headteacher Neil Foden made an “incorrect” assertion regarding his minimum prison term of at least 11 years. In correspondence addressed to Plaid Cymru MP Liz Saville Roberts, the CPS clarified that Mr. Foden is eligible for release after completing only half of his sentence. Mr. Foden received a 17-year prison sentence in July for the sexual abuse of four girls, which occurred over a four-year duration. Ms. Saville Roberts has requested that the UK government review the case, citing that victims “live in fear” of his potential early release. Neil Foden, aged 66, residing in Old Colwyn, Conwy county, was found guilty of a total of 19 charges. These included 12 counts of sexual activity with a child and two counts of sexual activity with a child committed while he held a position of trust. Mr. Foden began his tenure at Ysgol Friars in Bangor, Gwynedd, as a deputy head in 1989, subsequently becoming headteacher in 1997. He also served as the strategic head of Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle secondary school in Penygroes. During his sentencing at Mold Crown Court in July, Judge Rhys Rowlands described him as “depraved”, “arrogant”, and a “bully”. In the aforementioned letter to Ms. Saville Roberts, which BBC Wales has reviewed, Huw Rogers, the CPS deputy chief crown prosecutor in Wales, stated: “During the sentencing hearing, the judge said that Mr Foden would serve two thirds of his sentence in custody before he would be released. “This was incorrect. Mr Foden will serve half of his sentence in custody, at which point he will be released on licence.” The letter further clarified that only individuals convicted of offences carrying a maximum sentence of life imprisonment remain in prison for two-thirds of their term, whereas “defendants sentenced for offences which have a maximum sentence less than life imprisonment are released after half of their sentence.” Addressing the matter in Westminster, the Dwyfor Meirionnydd MP commented: “Four school girls suffered sexual abuse by their headteacher, Neil Foden, who was sentenced in July to 17 years with a two thirds tariff. “The CPS now tell me Foden will instead spend half his sentence in prison.” Ms. Saville Roberts inquired of Justice Minister Alex Davies-Jones, who is also the Pontypridd MP, whether she would agree to meet “to discuss how to safeguard the victims, who’s abuser was in a position of trust, because they live in fear of his early release”. In response, representing the UK government’s Ministry of Justice, Alex Davies-Jones acknowledged her awareness of the “appalling” case and stated that “sentencing is a matter for the independent judiciary, but I will look at the case and meet with her to discuss it further”. BBC Wales has sought a comment from the Courts and Tribunals Judiciary. In the previous month, North Wales Police reported that it was investigating two additional cases of grooming and sexual abuse connected to Foden, although the CPS indicated it had not received contact regarding these matters.