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

Charity

Christmas jumper fundraiser raises £360 for youth counselling

Published

3 hours ago

January 14, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A CHRISTMAS Jumper Day fundraiser held by staff at W.B. Griffiths & Son Ltd has raised £360 for the Megan’s Starr Foundation, helping fund vital mental health support for young people.

The money, presented to the charity by Carla and Liam, will pay for 10 professional counselling sessions for young people who are struggling and in urgent need of support.

The Megan’s Starr Foundation said the sessions provide a safe space for young people to talk, be listened to, and feel supported at a time when it matters most.

In a statement, the charity thanked the firm and its staff for getting involved, adding that access to timely support can be life changing and can help young people realise they are not alone.

The foundation said it was grateful to everyone at W.B. Griffiths & Son Ltd who took part, describing the donation as one that will have a real and lasting impact on local young people and their mental health.

News

Investigation launched after man found dead near Carmarthen railway line

Published

3 hours ago

January 14, 2026

Tom Sinclair

POLICE are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a man whose body was found in a field close to the railway track near Carmarthen railway station.

Emergency services were called to the area at just after 8:30am on Saturday (Jan 10). Officers from Dyfed-Powys Police attended alongside paramedics from the Welsh Ambulance Service.

Witnesses reported seeing police and ambulance vehicles outside the station’s main entrance, with officers also in an adjacent field near a railway bridge.

Dyfed-Powys Police said the man’s next of kin have been informed and are being supported by officers.

A police spokesperson said enquiries are ongoing and the death is currently being treated as unexplained.

No further details, including the man’s age or identity, have been released.

Crime

Former Gwent detective would have been sacked after off duty assault conviction

Published

4 hours ago

January 14, 2026

Rieve Nesbitt-Marr

Ex officer found guilty of gross misconduct following Devon incident and magistrates court conviction

A FORMER Gwent Police detective sergeant has been found guilty of gross misconduct after being convicted of assaulting a man while off duty in Devon.

Joanne Marston resigned from the force shortly before an accelerated misconduct hearing was due to begin at Cwmbran on Monday. The panel went ahead in her absence.

The hearing was told the incident happened in February 2024 while Marston was off duty in Devon. She was later arrested and charged with common assault, and was convicted at Exeter Magistrates’ Court in March last year.

A professional standards investigation concluded she had breached the police standards of professional behaviour relating to discreditable conduct. The panel upheld the allegation and found it amounted to gross misconduct.

Had she remained a serving officer, the panel ruled she would have been dismissed without notice.

Assistant Chief Constable Vicki Townsend, who chaired the hearing, said the former officer’s actions were “shocking and unacceptable” and warned that such behaviour damages public confidence in policing.

Marston will now be placed on the College of Policing barred list, preventing her from serving with any police force in the UK.