SCHOOL SAYS SORRY OVER TEACHER ABUSE
ART TEACHER WAS FOUND DEAD IN RESERVOIR
PUPILS who were abused by an art teacher at a Bridgend high school have received an apology.
Clive Hally, from Maesteg, was an art, photography and ceramics teacher at Brynteg Comprehensive School in Bridgend for almost 40 years, until his retirement in 2011.
His body was found in a reservoir in 2019, months after he was arrested on suspicion of indecently assaulting children.
A few months earlier, in January, Mr Hally had been arrested by South Wales Police on suspicion of indecently assaulting two children. He had told his family that he had been arrested for an alleged assault.
An inquest into his death heard that Mr Hally had been “due to answer bail the same day he was found”.
Five more men have since come forward with complaints spanning a 29-year period from 1980 to 2009, South Wales Police told the BBC.
Bridgend council also said that the results of a confidential independent investigation into the allegations found that “several” former pupils had contacted police and made claims again him.
A statement said: “Mr Hally later admitted some of the allegations when interviewed by police, but took his own life while awaiting a decision from the Crown Prosecution Service on whether charges would be brought against him.”
It added that following the examination of more than 100 documents, 29 interviews and contact with everyone identified as being a potential victim, that investigation had concluded: “On the balance of probability and based on the available evidence, the report concludes that prior to his retirement in 2011, Mr Hally abused and engaged in inappropriate behaviour with several male learners during the period 1980 to 2009.
“No formal complaints or allegations were made during this period, and safeguarding procedures were not implemented by the local authority as the matter was not brought to the attention of either Ogwr Borough Council or Bridgend County Borough Council.”
One of Hally’s victims has spoken of his ordeal, telling the BBC: “He was evil. He conned a lot of people. He gave people an impression of what he was like, and he wasn’t like that at all.”
Describing his own experiences, he said: “It changed from the darkroom to storeroom. It was once a week, twice a week sometimes.
“The cleaner’s storeroom, an old, disused toilet, really grubby stuff. Looking back, it makes you feel really sick.”
The former pupil went to Brynteg from 1982 until 1989 and described the first abuse in a photography darkroom.
“The red light went on and I remember he put his arm around me and kissed me. I didn’t know how to react,” he said. “I was a child and you didn’t want to get in trouble with your teacher. You didn’t want any of the repercussions and Clive Hally could get very angry... he had a special kind of fury.”
In response to the council’s report
Brynteg School has offered a “full and unreserved apology” to all who have been affected.
A statement added: “The independent investigation was carried out by Servoca in conjunction with Brynteg School, and we have offered them our full participation and support throughout this process.
“This investigation has now concluded. Based on the available evidence and balance of probability, it has found that Mr Hally abused and engaged in inappropriate behaviour with several male learners during the period that he was employed at the school. The independent investigation has also concluded that while no complaints or allegations were formally made during this period, staff at the school had expressed informal concerns about some of Mr Hally’s behaviour to members of the senior management team who were in post at that time.
“Determining why those concerns were not elevated further or taken forward more formally has been complicated by the fact that a significant period of time has now passed, and the individuals concerned are no longer employed at the school.”
It added: “We also want to acknowledge the bravery of the former pupils who came forward to reveal what Mr Hally did.
“Childhood abuse has a devastating effect on the emotional well-being and mental health of survivors, and it is thanks to their tremendous courage that his abhorrent actions were ultimately revealed.
“What Mr Hally did remains a matter of huge concern, great sadness and regret for all concerned. Brynteg School has always been a strong, caring, close-knit community, and we are resolved to do all that we can to prevent this from happening again.”
The council investigation found that staff at the school had expressed concerns to the school senior management team about the teacher’s behaviour. A spokeswoman said: “As such, the independent investigation has concluded that there were opportunities where the school’s senior management team could have elevated these informal concerns to the local authority’s child protection officers.
“The fact that this did not take place is, of course, a matter of great concern, and while none of the senior management team of that period continue to work at the school, the independent investigation has made a number of recommendations to ensure that this cannot be repeated.”
Recommendations from the investigation included providing fresh training on how staff and teachers can detect early warning signs of abuse, ensuring that staff remain vigilant and aware of their reporting responsibilities, and enabling all complaints, allegations or concerns to be reported through appropriate channels.
Children’s Commissioner for Wales Sally Holland told BBC Radio Wales: “This is such a distressing case because of the abuse itself, because it went on for so long and because staff concerns over the years about this teacher were not acted on. There are a number of elements of this case that are disturbing.
“There has been change made since the Clywch Inquiry. Over the last 10 years there is evidence that school leaders do challenge and act on worrying behaviours.
“There is action being taken about behaviour like this in contemporary Wales.”