Former Canolfan Brynffynnon Pupil Still Waiting for Compensation

Rhiannon Evans is still waiting for compensation from Cyngor Gwynedd nearly two months after it was agreed.

A former pupil of Canolfan Brynffynnon pupil referral unit in Felinheli says she has been left devastated after allegedly still not receiving compensation agreed by Cyngor Gwynedd nearly two months ago.

Canolfan Brynffynnon was closed suddenly in 2014 following allegations of mistreatment by staff. In the months that followed, many former pupils were interviewed by police and provided accounts of the treatment they said they had experienced while attending the school.

The alleged offences took place between September 2006 and March 2014. Two teachers were suspended on 6^th March 2014 and between them faced 49 charges. In total, 24 vulnerable children, all under the age of 16, made statements alleging mistreatment and/or cruelty.

The case was due to be heard at Mold Crown Court. However, on the first day of the trial, 23^rd March 2016, the Crown Prosecution Service offered no evidence and the case was discontinued.

It later emerged that the two main alleged perpetrators remained suspended on full pay until 2025.

In summer 2024, solicitor Katherine Yates of Andrew Grove & Co Solicitors took up the case on behalf of former pupils seeking compensation for their experiences at the school.

Katherine welcomed the decision by Cyngor Gwynedd to begin offering settlements to former pupils in April 2026. However, one former pupil, 26-year-old Rhiannon Evans, who attended the school from the age of nine, says she is still waiting to receive payment of her agreed £10,000 settlement.

Despite repeated attempts to obtain an explanation, no payment has been received and no clear reason for the delay has been provided.

Rhiannon said: “When I joined the claim, I was not convinced that we would receive any compensation for what we went through at Brynffynnon. We really suffered there.

“One day I was in the canteen eating my lunch and I was forced by Garry Roberts to eat cake and gravy together. I was crying and he was shouting at me to eat it. I refused to eat it, and he got a spoon and tried to force feed me with it. I kept crying and would not eat it. He picked up a jug of blackcurrant juice and poured it over my head. I had to sit all afternoon wet, cold and sticky.

“When I went home to my grandmother’s house she put me straight in the bath. Other times they would throw food on the floor and we had to eat it off the floor like animals. They had horrible nicknames for all of us and just thinking about my time there makes me cry.

“There were big tyres in the playground. I was made to stand in the tyres and they used to pile more tyres on so that only my head was showing and then they would kick footballs at my head. Sometimes they kicked the football at me from behind so I could not see it coming. This would happen almost every day. They did it to me and lots of the other kids as well.

“I was so pleased when I was offered a settlement. I have never had that much money before and I had planned to go on holiday and do other positive things to try to improve my life and move on. Now I just think that they are never going to pay me, and I feel worse now than before I received the settlement offer.”

Katherine is still hopeful that Gwynedd might recognise their responsibilities towards Rhiannon and pay her the amount owed but if not, she is prepared to issue court proceedings to get Rhiannon her money.

“A contract is a contract, and we have a valid contract for Cyngor Gwynedd to pay Rhiannon £10,000,” she said.

Anyone who attended Canolfan Brynffynnon, or the parent or guardian of a former pupil, is encouraged to contact Katherine Yates at Andrew Grove & Co Solicitors by calling 01223 367133 or emailing katherine@andrewgroveandco.com