No charges after abuse probe

Police say no further prosecutions will take place

South Wales Police have confirmed that no further action will be taken against five people questioned following allegations made during a school child abuse inquiry.

Detectives said on Tuesday that they had taken advice from the Crown Prosecution Service not to pursue the matter.

It had been alleged that all five were present when two former pupils at Ysgol Gyfun Rhydfelen, near Pontypridd, performed naked during a drama test.

The session was being led by then drama teacher John Owen - who killed himself last year while awaiting trial for indecency offences involving pupils.

John Owen wrote the children's TV drama, Pam Fi Duw?

A fresh investigation was launched by police after the Clywch Inquiry - spearheaded by Children's Commissioner Peter Clarke - raised concerns.

The five people had been interviewed, and police said on Monday that a file had been sent to the Crown Prosecutor for consideration.

A teacher at Ysgol Gyfun Rhydfelen was suspended for a fortnight by governors. The woman maintained all along that she was innocent.

Suspicions arose during a hearing into the activities of Ysgol Gyfun Rhydfelen teacher Mr Owen who took a fatal morphine overdose in October before facing trial over five charges of indecency with boys between 1974 and 1991.

He had earlier quit his job amid complaints surrounding his teaching methods, but went on to write acclaimed S4C youth drama Pam Fi Duw?

Fellow teachers at Ysgol Gyfun Rhydfelen were quizzed

Last year, four former pupils from the 1970s made allegations of abuse against the teacher from Tylorstown, Rhondda.

Mr Clarke opened an informal inquiry into the handling of claims against him.

Hearings began taking evidence from seven alleged abuse victims in March at University of Glamorgan in Treforest, near Pontypridd.

Sessions heard that Mr Owen's lessons were sometimes "virtually pornographic" and had sexual overtones, requiring boys to undress for drama.