A former head teacher in Wales, James ‘Jamie’ Richards, has been permanently removed from the teaching register due to serious allegations of sexual misconduct involving staff members. Richards, who led Cadle Primary School in Swansea from 2011 until 2021, exhibited what has been described as “harassing, abusive, and predatory” behaviour over a decade, which included exposing himself and sharing explicit images with colleagues.
The Education Workforce Council (EWC) panel found all allegations against Richards to be substantiated, resulting in a ban from working in any maintained or non-maintained schools in Wales for a minimum of 15 years. He will not be eligible to apply for reinstatement until at least November 2040, although there is no guarantee of approval should he seek to return to the profession.
During a comprehensive four-day hearing, witnesses recounted how Richards’ actions left multiple female staff members feeling “traumatised.” One incident involved Richards exposing his genitals to a teacher during a school trip, instructing her to “inspect this, miss.” Another colleague discovered him standing in his office with his trousers down, exposing himself.
In total, five women testified about incidents involving Richards, detailing how he had shown explicit images on his phone during meetings and even revealed a video of himself inappropriately touching himself. The women expressed feelings of shock and disbelief, particularly regarding the actions of someone they had previously regarded as a friendly and approachable leader.
One former staff member recounted how she felt silenced after reporting the incidents to South Wales Police, who ultimately decided there was no criminal case to answer in late 2021. She described feeling let down by both the school and law enforcement, particularly after Richards resigned during an internal investigation initiated following his suspension.
Richards did not participate in the EWC hearing, failing to engage with the process or respond to the allegations. The panel chair, Sue Davies, noted that Richards declined to be interviewed for the school’s independent investigation and claimed ill health prevented him from doing so. However, evidence submitted during the hearing contradicted this assertion, showing Richards engaging in physical activities such as golfing while claiming to be incapacitated.
The panel deemed Richards’ behaviour as “overtly and expressly sexual in nature,” highlighting his pattern of misconduct as a serious risk to both female colleagues and students. EWC presenting officer Sara Lewis emphasized that Richards abused his position of trust and intimidated his victims into silence about their experiences. The committee found multiple instances of him exposing himself, displaying inappropriate images, and making suggestive comments, all of which constituted unacceptable professional conduct.
Richards has the right to appeal this decision within 28 days to the High Court. His actions have raised significant concerns regarding the safeguarding of staff and students in educational environments, prompting calls for stricter oversight and accountability measures within schools.
