News

‘Evil’ school teacher banned for life

Published

12 years ago

March 14, 2014

A VETERAN primary school teacher has been banned from the classroom for life for physically assaulting pupils as young as five.

Margaret Wood-Robinson was so feared by one of her six-year-old victims, he branded her an “evil” teacher.

Other pupils were pinched, pushed, slapped, bruised and routinely dragged around during a five-year classroom reign of terror.Wood-Robinson, aged in her late 50s, worked at St Mary’s Roman Catholic VA Primary School in Pembroke Dock for 35 years.

The General Teaching Council for Wales panel heard evidence that pupils regularly returned home with bruises and red marks on their arms after a day at school and were allegedly even hit for asking for help, it was claimed.A joint police and social services investigation in 2011, carried out while she was suspended, interviewed pupils, parents and teaching staff, but stopped short of a criminal prosecution.

Mrs Wood-Robinson was suspended from school in mid-2012 when an internal inquiry into her conduct was launched. Wood-Robinson failed to attend a General Teaching Council of Wales hearing into her professional conduct, sitting in Cardiff, which concluded after two days.

It found nine allegations of physically assaulting or inappropriately touching nine pupils to be substantially proved. The GTCW panel found her behaviour collectively amounted to unacceptable professional conduct and passed an indefinite prohibition order. It means her name will be removed from the teaching register in Wales for good, effectively a ban covering the rest of her life.

The headteacher of St Mary’s School in Pembroke Dock declined to comment, but a spokesman for Pembrokeshire County Council said: “Pembrokeshire County Council welcomes the decision by the General Teaching Council for Wales.

“The authority takes the safeguarding and well-being of its school pupils extremely seriously.

“We are pleased to have assisted in this investigation and played a part in bringing it to a successful conclusion.”

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11 Comments

Gertie Grumbles

March 15, 2014 at 11:01 pm

This is incredibly sad. No teacher is evil. Many teachers are stressed beyond endurance by badly behaved pupils and management that will not manage. Also by having to work incredibly long hours with impossible demands. I wonder how much support this lady had, in her difficulties, from the school\’s management team? Probably none. Sack the head, too! Obviously not doing her job!
Stephanie brown

March 15, 2014 at 11:20 pm

Gertie grumbles… In reply to your comment..yes this teacher is evil! Perhaps you don\’t have children but any person that abuses a child which is what she did to many children is evil end of! I am a nurse, work under pressure and long hours with patients with dentist who hit and spit and punch, would that make it ok for me to hit them?? No it wouldn\’t!
shelley Hawkridge Jones

March 16, 2014 at 8:06 am

She was a professional and had a personal accountability to do her job properly, regardless of the support available to her, but there should also be an investigation into why this was allowed to go on the head should have knowledge of what is going on in every classroom and turning a blind eye would make them as guilt. I to am a Nurse and at present work with neonates, trusted with parents most prized possessions as she was it should be a privilege not a chore.
anon

March 16, 2014 at 8:26 am

In response to the lovely ladies above – I am a primary teacher and while I agree with the teacher above being suspended because of alleged physical abuse with the children, I also wonder why teachers are not protected too. If pupils have the right to be safe then so do teachers yet many of my staff and myself regularly go home with bruises and other marks due to children hurting us. They never seem to get reprimanded!!!! The government has taken away any real form of ‘punishment’ so the children from a very early age realise that if they are naughty nothing happens other than being spoken to!

Everyone in a school or educational establishment has the right and basic need to feel safe.
anon

March 16, 2014 at 8:45 am

Gertie Grumbles (above comments) “no teacher is evil”, rubbish! this woman is evil, these children were aged 5 – 6 years old, there are no excuses for the fear pain and upset she has caused. We entrust our children into the care of teachers, and she abused that trust.
Mrs mole

March 16, 2014 at 10:08 am

I can not believe gertie grumbles is trying to stand up for this evil teacher yes teachers work hard and are under stress but they also get a lot more holidays than a nurse who has a lot more stress so I think u should of thought a bit harder before u left your comment as a mother myself I think this teacher is disgusting us as parents trust teachers to care for our children she certainly did not care. And we as parents get stressed out with the behaviour of our children but it would be wrong of us to treat our own children like that yet u are condoning a teacher doing it . The sad bit is your view these were vaunreble children of 5-6 she is a very evil woman and deserves everything she gets
Sophie

March 16, 2014 at 3:01 pm

Stressed out by badly behaved kids? These kids were 5 years old. Can’t handle 5 year olds? Don’t teach!! Do not blame such horrible actions in the victims!
Anon

March 16, 2014 at 9:27 pm

my wife was was hit over the head with a big book bye this Teacher 20 years ago in the same school, how has this been un detected for so long
Anon

March 16, 2014 at 9:34 pm

Sad thing is as a pupil who was taught by her I have vivid memories of not only the physical abuse, but also the way she would clearly have “favourites” that she would be a lot nicer to. It has probably happened so often that many kids felt disliked and made to feel like the bad children of the class.
Male Anon

March 21, 2014 at 4:29 pm

Now that the truth has finally been revealed, it is inevitable that the others who complained in the 90’s but were refused an investigation by the then Headmaster will have their complaints properly investigated. I was a pupil of this teacher in 1987 – her recorded misconduct is only a small timescale of her actual offending.
Teifion

March 22, 2014 at 7:59 pm

couldn’t but help but think that’s what ALL teachers were like 30 or more years ago

Crime

Man charged with strangulation and assault offences after October incident

Published

12 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

A MAN recorded in court as having no fixed abode has appeared before magistrates charged with intentional strangulation and two further assault offences.

Michael Sudbury, 50, whose address was not read out in court, but in Herald records is Glan Hafan, Llangwm, appeared before the bench facing multiple charges.

The charges relate to an incident on 22 October 2025 and include:

Intentional strangulation, contrary to section 75A of the Serious Crime Act 2015
Common assault
Assault by beating

No further details of the alleged incident were opened in court, and no plea was entered at this stage.

Sudbury was remanded on conditional bail, with the case listed to return to magistrates later this month.

Crime

Haverfordwest man sent to Crown Court on multiple serious charges

Published

12 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

Defendant remanded in custody

A HAVERFORDWEST man has been sent to Swansea Crown Court to stand trial on a series of A 49-year-old Haverfordwest resident has been committed to Swansea Crown Court to face trial on multiple serious charges deemed too grave for magistrates to handle.

David Guy, of Market Street, Haverfordwest, appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates facing a series of allegations stemming from a single case. The charges, which were not detailed in open court, include:

Assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH)
A second count of assault
Criminal damage
An additional allegation of interpersonal violence
A public order offence

Magistrates declined jurisdiction, determining that the matters exceeded their sentencing powers, and sent the case in its entirety to Swansea Crown Court.

Guy was remanded in custody pending his next appearance. The court register notes: “Sent to Crown Court for trial in custody – next hearing at Swansea Crown Court.”

A date for the initial Crown Court hearing will be set administratively. Guy will remain in custody until then.

The Pembrokeshire Herald will provide further updates as the case progresses in the Crown Court.

Crime

Castlemartin man back before magistrates over multiple alleged assaults

Published

12 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

Defendant remanded on conditional bail ahead of further hearing

A CASTLEMARTIN man has appeared repeatedly before magistrates this month over a string A 40-year-old man from Castlemartin has made repeated appearances before magistrates this month in connection with a series of serious alleged offences, including assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH), intentional non-fatal strangulation, common assault, and criminal damage.

Anthony Alcock, of Pwll Street, Castlemartin, is facing six linked charges stemming from incidents said to have occurred earlier this year. These appear to relate to the same complainant in what is understood to be a single ongoing domestic abuse prosecution.

During recent administrative hearings at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court, Alcock did not enter pleas while matters of bail and case management were addressed.

Charges Include:

Assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH)
Intentional non-fatal strangulation
Common assault on a woman
Criminal damage in a domestic context
Additional assault allegations involving the same complainant
Breach of bail conditions

Alcock was initially granted conditional bail but was subsequently brought before the court on two occasions for alleged breaches. On those instances, magistrates remanded him in custody ahead of further hearings. He was later re-granted conditional bail, subject to strict conditions such as no contact with the complainant and exclusion from specified locations.

Magistrates have now declined jurisdiction, ruling that the case—particularly the more serious charges involving non-fatal strangulation—is too grave for summary trial. It has been committed to Swansea Crown Court for plea, trial, or sentencing.

No detailed evidence has been presented in open court at this preliminary stage. Alcock remains on conditional bail pending his next appearance at the Crown Court.