Former pupils of a now-closed educational referral unit in Wales have described a catalogue of alleged abuse that they say left lasting emotional scars and contributed to compensation payouts from the local authority. Canolfan Brynffynnon, an educational unit in Y Felinheli, Gwynedd, for children with behavioural and emotional needs, suddenly closed in 2014 following allegations of mistreatment by staff. This month, Gwynedd Council has apologised to pupils who attended the unit and acknowledged that they had been "subjected to abuse." Two former staff members allegedly involved have strongly denied the allegations.
Details of Alleged Abuse
Some of the former pupils of the unit have described how they were allegedly forced to eat dog biscuits from the floor, locked in dark toilets for extended periods, struck with footballs, and said they were humiliated by staff for amusement rather than discipline. Rhiannon Evans, who attended the unit at the age of 10, recalled being ordered to eat a biscuit that had been thrown onto the floor. She also said a member of staff poured a jug of blackcurrant juice over her head, leaving her "sticky all afternoon" and with the smell "lingering" for several days after the incident.
Rhiannon, now 27, told the BBC: "Every day there was something going on, from kids dragged down a corridor to kids being made to eat dog biscuits from a floor. I do remember a certain incident where they threw a biscuit on the floor and they told me to eat it. I remember the exact biscuit. It was a Bourbon chocolate biscuit." She claimed the pint of juice was poured over her head by staff "simply for their entertainment." Ms Evans said: "I was sticky all afternoon. I smelt all afternoon and I went home and my grandmother put me straight in a bath. But the smell of blackcurrant juice, it lingered for a good few days."
She also alleged that some children were locked in dark bathrooms as punishment, while others had tyres stacked around them before footballs were kicked at their heads. She said the experiences continue to affect her daily life, with certain sights and smells triggering painful memories years later.
Levi Lewis's Experience
Levi Lewis was just four years old when he was sent to the unit and was there until it closed. He claimed he was made to eat dog biscuits and later subjected to increasingly severe punishments. Among the incidents he described were being dragged by his hair, locked in dark toilets for hours, and having his nose flicked so forcefully that it bled. He said: "If I misbehaved, they would take me to the office, sometimes just in the classroom in front of people, and they would flick my nose so hard to the point where it just started pouring with blood. I still have issues with my nose bleeding, just randomly."
Levi said the treatment left him with a fear of footballs and ongoing mental health struggles, including anxiety, panic attacks and occasional night terrors. To this day, seeing dog biscuits in a shop will make him feel unwell.
Legal Action and Council Response
Two former pupils, now adults, have spoken publicly about their experiences as legal action continues against Gwynedd Council. According to their solicitor, Katherine Yates, 21 former pupils are currently pursuing claims, the BBC reports. The council said it has received 10 formal claims, with nine settled. Two former pupils received settlements of £10,000 each.
The solicitor who is representing the former pupils has called for a public inquiry into Gwynedd Council's management of schools. The call comes following the former Gwynedd head teacher, Neil Foden, who was jailed in 2024 for sexual offences against schoolgirls. A review conducted after Foden's conviction found more than 50 missed opportunities to identify concerns and stop his abuse while he was working in Gwynedd schools. She said: "I think we need a public inquiry. It's not as if Canolfan Brynffynnon is a kind of one-off. It comes hot on the heels of the Neil Foden case. Who knows what else is waiting to come out? How many other skeletons are clattering about in the cupboards? I don't think Gwynedd should be marking its own homework. I think we need to know what's happened, why it happened, is anyone to blame, and what we can do to prevent it happening again?"
A Cyngor Gwynedd spokesperson said: “All children and young people should be safe while at their place of education. Any abuse – today or in the past – is a very serious matter. No child should have to suffer abuse of any kind, and although these cases go back several years, we extend our sympathies to the victims and apologise to them. In the case of Canolfan Brynffynnon, which closed in 2014, it emerged that pupils had been subjected to abuse. A joint investigation was carried out between Cyngor Gwynedd and North Wales Police, which resulted in a criminal case as well as the implementation of child protection procedures. The criminal case did not proceed, and over the subsequent years, the Council carried out a number of investigations and reviews into what happened."
The spokesperson said that a new review of the actions taken at that time has already been commissioned by the council to ensure that any lessons learned then continue to be implemented today. The spokesperson continued: “Whilst we cannot comment on employment issues relating to members of staff or former members of staff, we recognise that this case has taken an unacceptably long period and apologise for that. While the complex and unique circumstances of the cases contributed to the delay, these issues should have been resolved much sooner. By now, all aspects of child safeguarding arrangements in Gwynedd have been completely reviewed and strengthened in line with the recommendations of the Our Bravery Brought Justice report, which was published in 2025. We would urge anyone who has been a victim of abuse, or members of the public who are concerned about potential child abuse, to contact the police or social services. We also offer support and counselling and encourage anyone who needs this sort of help to contact us."
