AN alleged victim of historic child abuse at the hands of a former Newport head teacher today appeals for other victims to come forward.

The local man, aged 52, was a pupil at Malpas Church in Wales School school between 1971 and 1974, when he alleges the then head teacher, John Styler, carried out a series of sexual assaults on boys aged between 10 and 12.

Styler, who lived alone at Queens Hill Crescent, Newport, committed suicide while on police bail in 2007.

He had been arrested on suspicion of similar offences allegedly committed 27 years earlier.

Styler had been due to surrender to bail on the day he died.

In a letter to his solicitor before his death, he expressed his anxiety that friends and family should find out about the allegations being investigated by police.

The 52-year-old alleged victim, who we have agreed not to name, said that Styler, who was in charge of music at the school, used the school choir to instigate a grooming process.

Unaware of his intentions, the victim, then 10, volunteered to join the choir.

From these choir meetings, Styler would then hand-pick certain pupils, all boys who were high performers in school, for private reading sessions in his office before allegedly molesting them.

He had a red/green light above the front of his office door so that he would not be disturbed when it was red.

His alleged victim said: “He created a 'dead poets' society' of sorts. We were all good-looking boys and it was a niche for him to abuse.

“It was an unwritten rule: no one spoke about it, but we all knew it was going on. What headmaster has a red/green light to access his room? No one wanted to believe it could happen.

“He ran the school like a totalitarian state. He was an absolute monster. He would physically grapple me to stop me getting away.

“I felt completely numb and I couldn’t do a damn thing. He was very aggressive and wouldn’t take no for an answer.

“I would try and hint to my parents by showing nervousness around him, but it was very difficult to tell them.

“I would just close my door and not speak to anyone.”

Although a number of the alleged incidents took place on the school grounds, the victim said that Styler also used his home and school trips to assault him.

One of these incidents involved taking the victim and his brother to a local caravan park in 1975. It is claimed he showed the alleged victim pornography to try to get him aroused before viciously assaulting him for the whole night.

Other alleged abuse took place in a cinema, at Styler's family home, and in the head teacher's car.

The alleged victim, now a married father of two said: “It’s made me ultra careful with my kids. I can’t trust anyone, particularly teachers. Alarm bells still ring when it comes to school trips.

“I’ve felt a lot of pain over the years. It’s been haunting and I’ve been desperate to be free of it. It gave me a different outlook on how to interact with girls and it prematurely sexualised me.

“I’m just one jigsaw piece and hope the others come together. We can all draw strength from each other."

The alleged victim estimates there are another 30 victims and is appealing for them to get in touch with his solicitors. If you have any information, call Collingbourne Hennah Law, who are dealing with the case, on 07879 441676.