Cyngor Gwynedd Settles 9 Abuse Claims Over Referral Unit as 21 Former Pupils Pursue Cases
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Jun 21
Cyngor Gwynedd Settles 9 Abuse Claims Over Referral Unit as 21 Former Pupils Pursue Cases
1 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Jun 21
Summary
Nine formal claims over abuse at Canolfan Brynffynnon have been settled, with Cyngor Gwynedd admitting pupils were abused and apologising; two former pupils have already accepted £10,000 settlements.
Rhiannon Evans and Levi Lewis described being made to eat dog biscuits off the floor, locked in dark toilets, hit with hard footballs and physically assaulted while at the Y Felinheli referral unit.
Solicitor Katherine Yates said she now represents 21 claimants and called for a public inquiry into Gwynedd’s handling of schools, arguing the case is not an isolated failure.
The unit closed in 2014 after mistreatment allegations, and child-cruelty charges brought in 2016 against two former staff members were later dropped; both men still deny the allegations.
The council said a new review has been commissioned and safeguarding has been overhauled in line with recommendations made after ex-headteacher Neil Foden was jailed for 17 years in 2024.
Why did criminal charges fail when the council is now paying compensation for the same abuse at Brynffynnon?
After paying suspended staff for nine years, can Gwynedd Council's new safeguarding reforms truly be trusted to protect children?
12 Years of Abuse at Canolfan Brynffynnon: Gwynedd Council’s Response, Compensation Delays, and the Push for Public Inquiry
Overview
The Canolfan Brynffynnon scandal began with years of abuse and mistreatment at the pupil referral unit between 1998 and 2014. Despite parents raising concerns as early as 2010, the full extent of the abuse only came to light after the unit closed in 2014, when former pupils shared their experiences with police. Legal proceedings followed, but child cruelty charges against staff were dropped in 2016. In the aftermath, Gwynedd Council strengthened safeguarding protocols and launched internal reviews, yet victims still face delays in compensation and call for a full public inquiry to ensure true accountability and lasting change.