Drama college accused of covering up sexual assaults

One actress was allegedly asked if she was ‘topless’ in the changing room at the time of the alleged assault

A DRAMA college asked a female student if she was topless during an alleged sexual assault, lawyers have claimed in a legal case.

The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama is facing legal action over allegedly covering up campus attacks.

The college, whose alumni include Sir Anthony Hopkins, Rob Brydon and Ruth Jones, has been accused by 16 women of botched handling of the alleged assaults.

Two of the alleged victims have begun a civil case against the college, saying that it “systematically” failed to protect them from sexual assaults by a fellow student.

They say they were attacked in halls of residence and in women’s dressing rooms on campus in Cardiff ’s civic centre. One of the women, 19, said she was drugged and sexually assaulted while studying for her acting degree.

She claims that, instead of the college taking proper action over her complaints, she was labelled as a “troublemaker”.

Lawyers say that months later, the man allegedly assaulted another 20-year-old student while she was alone in the women’s dressing room.

The college is accused of only beginning a formal investigation seven months after the first woman complained, once a further 14 women had also made complaints.

One actress was allegedly asked if she was “topless” in the changing room at the time of the alleged assault.

John Watkins, a solicitor representing the alleged victims, said: “Time after time the college fell short of their own safeguarding policy.”

A spokesman for the college said it had mechanisms in place to safeguard and support members of the college community who report incidents. They said it would be “inappropriate” to comment on the specific allegations.

South Wales Police said it was a civil matter and it was not investigating.