Headteacher accused of child sex abuse sent text to girl about feeling 'slightly horny', trial hears

Neil Foden - PA Images
Neil Foden faces 20 charges including 13 of sexual activity with a child. He denies the allegations against him. Credit: PA Images

A former Gwynedd headteacher accused of sexually abusing five girls has denied grooming a teenager and treating her as a sexual partner.

It was put to Neil Foden by prosecuting barrister John Philpotts that he asked for images from one of the alleged victims and sent her messages late at night.

The 66-year-old claims he wanted photographs of Child A to check her wellbeing and he was offering her emotional support and reassurance.

Neil Foden, from Old Colwyn, faces 20 charges including 13 of sexual activity with a child. He denies the allegations against him.

Jurors at Mold Crown Court were told that one of the alleged victims had searched the internet for phrases including "am I being groomed or does he love me?" and "how to tell your parents you’re being groomed".

Mr Philpotts said to Mr Foden: "You were abusing her, weren’t you?”

"No, I was not," he replied.

Mr Philpotts continued: "This is a child who’s scared and confused about what you were doing to her?"

Mr Foden responded: "She told me she felt safe and showed no signs of being scared and confused."

Mr Philpotts put to Mr Foden that Child A sent him four images which were then deleted by her.

"I suggest that’s because they were sexual," he said.

Mr Foden replied: "They were sexual in some of the ways the jury’s already seen."

The defendant was then asked why he was telling a child late at night that he loves her, when she had just sent him “sexual images”.

He told the jury he was just trying to support her, before adding: "It’s certainly not me trying to exploit a child."

Mr Philpotts went on: "The person who cares about her is an abusive adult - that’s you."

Mr Foden said: "I’m not an abusive adult."

The defendant was also asked why he hadn’t deleted images sent by Child A until 45 minutes before his arrest in September last year and why if he felt uncomfortable receiving them he had not referred the matter to someone in authority.

Mr Foden said he stored the images in a secure folder with a password as previous attempts to delete them permanently from the camera roll had been unsuccessful.

Mr Philpotts suggested he deleted them moments before plain-clothed officers arrived because he “knew the game was up”.

Mr Foden said not reporting the images was a serious error of judgement.

He also admitted sending a text referring to feeling "slightly horny" about meeting up.

Judge Rhys Rowlands asked for clarification for the jury as to why "a man in his sixties sent to a child at night feeling slightly horny thinking about Wednesday”.

Mr Foden said he understood the inference from the prosecution was around planned sexual activity but that wasn't the case.

He said it was a “stupid comment to make her feel good”.

He added "it was something I hoped would make her feel more attractive".

Neil Foden denies all the offences he is charged with. The trial at Mold Crown Court continues.