A head teacher has been removed from the teaching register following serious allegations of sexual misconduct, including exposing himself during a school trip. James Richards, the former head of Cadle Primary School in Swansea, has been described as “predatory” after a professional standards panel found multiple allegations against him to be substantiated. As a result, Richards is banned from working in any maintained or non-maintained schools in Wales for a minimum of 15 years. His eligibility for reinstatement will not be considered until at least November 2040.
The panel’s findings detailed a pattern of behavior that spanned over a decade, during which Richards allegedly subjected several female staff members to inappropriate conduct. Reports indicate that his actions left many women traumatized and fearful. One incident involved Richards exposing himself to a teacher during a school trip, reportedly saying, “Inspect this miss.”
In another case, a staff member entered his office to find him standing by his desk with his trousers down. He was also accused of instructing an employee to meet him in his office, where he was allegedly seated with his genitals exposed, covered only by a pair of glasses. Furthermore, he reportedly shared explicit images from his phone during a meeting and displayed a video of himself engaging in sexual acts.
Women who worked with Richards expressed disbelief at his actions, describing feelings of shock, numbness, and fear. One female staff member recalled him stating, “I love my wife and children. I can’t help myself” as he exposed himself. Another reported that Richards told her, “You have seen too much of me” after showing her inappropriate images instead of a work-related presentation.
In total, five women reported instances in which Richards exposed himself, leading to a pervasive atmosphere of fear that discouraged them from reporting his behavior. A sixth woman mentioned that Richards failed to return a laptop during an internal investigation, which he allegedly used to store nude photographs of himself.
Sue Davies, the chair of the panel, condemned Richards’ actions as “overtly and expressly sexual in nature.” She characterized his behavior as harassing, abusive, and predatory, indicating that he sought sexual gratification from his actions and enjoyed the reactions of his colleagues. Davies emphasized that Richards exhibited a long-standing pattern of behavior that posed a significant risk to young women and his coworkers.
This case highlights serious concerns regarding the safety and professionalism expected within educational environments. The panel’s decision underscores the imperative of safeguarding students and staff from predatory behavior and ensuring accountability for those in positions of authority.
