Convicted French sex offender who became school head teacher 'may have raped 55 pupils'
Some 55 pupils of a primary school in south-eastern France, or their parents on their behalf, have accused the school's ex-head teacher of sexual abuse, prosecutor reveals
French Justice Minister Christiane Taubira (R) and Education Minister Najat Vallaud-Belkacem give a press conference at the Grenoble prefecture, in the French Alps, following an inquiry regarding an alleged pedophilia case by a teacher in a primary school in Villefontaine. Photo: AFP/Getty Images
By Henry Samuel, Paris
9:55PM BST 04 May 2015
The former head teacher of a primary school in south-eastern France faces sex abuse charges against 55 pupils, the local prosecutor announced on Monday.
The case of the teacher from Villefontaine near Lyon, known only as Romain F, has shocked France and led to a government inquiry after it transpired he had been convicted of possessing child pornography in 2008 but that the justice ministry had failed to transmit his criminal record to the education ministry.
In March, he was placed under formal investigation for raping 11 pupils since last October, after confessing to having tricked blindfolded pupils into oral sex during a workshop on experiencing new tastes.
That prompted France's education ministry to launch an internal investigation parallel to the legal inquiry to discover how the convicted offender was hired, and determine if any other victims were abused.
Nidal (only Christian name available), father of a school child alleged victim of pedophilia, speaks to journalists (AFP/Getty Images)
Prosecutors said the school principal, a 45-year-old father, forced at least two pupils to perform oral sex acts on him during the workshop. The activity involved children wearing blindfolds and describing items they were given to taste.
Authorities were alerted after two six-year-olds complained to their parents about what they had experienced. Another nine complaints were then filed.
In 2008 he was convicted for possessing similar material, sentenced to a six-month suspended jail term and ordered to receive specialised treatment.
However, he was not banned from working with children -- a fact that may have made it difficult for education authorities to find out about his past before hiring him.
Dominique Fis, the school's supervisor, said in March that local officials had received no information that the suspect was listed in France's national database of child sex offenders.
"There was nothing in his file concerning that conviction, and we only learned about it yesterday," Ms Fis said.
French Education Minister Najat Vallaud-Belkacem (2ndL) and French Justice Minister Christiane Taubira (2ndR) flanked by Isabelle Roussel (L), general inspector for National Education, give a press conference (AFP/Getty Images)
On Monday, Jean-Yves Coquillat, prosecutor of Grenoble, said a further 44 minors or their parents had come forward since then to signal possible child abuse.
“Fifty-five minors (in total) are concerned. They came forward, or their parents have done so. There may be others.”
“That does not mean there are 55 victims,” he added.
The revelations came as Christine Taubira, the justice minister, and Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, the education minister, announced plans for a new bill making it compulsory to inform educational authorities of all criminal records or current legal proceedings concerning teaching staff in contact. The law will be tabled on June 1.
The pledge came as a preliminary government report leaked to Le Figaro found “failings on both sides and shared responsibility between the justice and education ministries”.
“While the state prosecution did not transmit information to national education in sufficient time, in accordance with existing decrees, the education ministry appears to have shown negligence as it apparently lost precious documents regarding those teachers facing accusations [of abuse],” the report concluded, according to Le Figaro.
