Suicide head faced probe over indecent child images
THE headteacher of a successful primary school took his own life after police executed a search warrant at his home, having received intelligence regarding indecent images.
Huw Jones, 51, was found dead in the grounds of St Lawrence Church in Lavernock on February 1 this year.
He had served as headteacher of Albert Road Primary School in Penarth for 12 years, but had been suspended from his position a matter of days before his death.
An inquest at Cardiff Coroners’ Court yesterday heard that Mr Jones was visited on January 30 by officers from South Wales Police who executed a search warrant and seized electrical items.
Giving evidence at the hearing, Detective Sergeant Emma Hampton said information had been received from South Yorkshire Police regarding indecent images, which implicated Mr Jones.
Describing the scene when officers visited Mr Jones’ home in Cardiff, Det Sgt Hampton said: “We introduced ourselves and explained we were at the address to introduce a warrant. When I asked him why he thought we might be at the property, he said, ‘I like young chaps’.
“I cautioned Mr Jones and left him in the dining area while we were continuing a search. He seemed slightly nervous and drunk two glasses of water. He asked me if it was illegal to talk.”
Mr Jones was not placed under arrest during the search warrant and Det Sgt Hampton left him details for the Lucy Faithfull Foundation and the Samaritans.
When asked by area coroner Phillip Spinney how Mr Jones presented during the search, she said: “When I left the address Mr Jones seemed fine. I left him some paperwork with support numbers and asked him if we wanted to contact anyone to come to the address but he assured me he was fine.
“I have thought about this over the last several months and I don’t believe there was anything else I could have done.”
Before the search warrant was conducted, Mr Jones had attended a board of governors meeting at Albert Road Primary School where he was told by then vice-chair Jacquelyn Elias and Jendy Hillier that there had been a safeguarding allegation and he could not return to work the next day, but must attend a meeting at Vale of Glamorgan council offices.
In a statement, Ms Elias said: “At this time Huw went very red and started visibly shaking. He was deflated and went very quiet. It was the opposite of what we were expecting because he was an outgoing character.
“I expected him to provide an explanation that he had been hacked but he remained quiet.”
A statement from assistant headteacher Gaynor Haldenby was also read out.
She said: “Huw was gay but was struggling with this and was having relationships with younger men.
“Huw wanted to change his sexuality and said he didn’t want to be having these relationships.”
On February, police were called to St Lawrence Church in Fort Road, Lavernock, after man’s body was discovered. This was later identified as Mr Jones, who had been reported missing after failing to turn up to the meeting at the council offices.
A note was found at his home addressed to his parents in which he thanked them for all they had done for him.
A post-mortem examination gave the cause of death as hanging and a toxicology report revealed that Mr Jones had large amounts of alcohol and paracetamol in his system.
Mr Spinney said: “I am satisfied to the extent I am sure Huw meant to take his own life and I will record a conclusion of suicide.”