School abuse inquiry can restart

Police say no further prosecutions will take place

A unique inquiry into abuse allegations against a former teacher from south Wales who committed suicide is due to begin again.

The Crown Prosecution Service advised South Wales Police that no further action should be taken on allegations against several adults said to have been present during an unconventional drama test at Ysgol Gyfun Rhydfelen.

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

The Children's Commissioner halted his hearing two months ago so that police could investigate fresh claims made during the inquiry into John Owen, formerly a drama teacher at the school near Pontypridd.

Detectives sent five files to the Crown Prosecution Service, but announced on Tuesday that they would be taking no further action against five teachers named by two of Mr Owen's former pupils.

The two had alleged that the adults were present when they were made to perform naked during a practical drama examination.

They publically named examiner Emyr Edwards who, like the others, strenuously denied the claims.

Fellow teachers at Ysgol Gyfun Rhydfelen were quizzed

One - Theda Williams - who is still employed as the school's head of English, said she was not even in school the day the session was said to have taken place.

Mr Owen killed himself last October, before being due to appear in court on sex abuse charges.

Now Peter Clarke - the first Children's Commissioner to be appointed in the UK following the recommendations of the Waterhouse Report - has said that his inquiry should resume in the autumn.

The Clywch Inquiry will also look at wider child protection issues.

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?

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.