AN alleged victim of historic child abuse at the hands of a former Newport head teacher has said he still believes more could have been done to stop his abuser, and that questions still remain unanswered – one year on from bravely waiving his anonymity to bring the incidents to light.

Jeffrey Parry, 51, from Pontypool, alleges that former Malpas Church in Wales head, Jon Styler, abused him during extra reading sessions at school when he was just 10 or 11 in 1975.

He also claims the authorities knew of concerns raised about Styler by the then deputy head, Lyn Millinship, at the time of the abuse.

There was an internal investigation, but the head teacher remained in his role and Mr Parry has found it found it difficult to deal with people in senior positions ever since.

Today, he said: “I do not believe that there was any serious investigation at the time.

"It was as though he was allowed to deny the accusations, slapped on the wrist and to carry on with access to children.

“I know it was a different time, but child abuse has always been deemed to be a serious issue and the perpetrators despised.

"Yet the 70's and 80's seemed to be decades where children were left to suffer."

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

Having only told three or four people about the allegations before his first interview with the Argus last summer, Mr Parry said he has found it easier since he went public - even if Styler never appeared before the courts.

“There have been times where it has been real agony and I've had to deal with the flashbacks and nightmares," he added.

“But I'm glad that it's come out and that I can finally deal with things properly. The shame that I felt for years has slowly begun to go and I have been amazed at all the support I have received from family, friends and total strangers.

“I have talked to some people who have been through the same experience, with the same perpetrator, and been shocked at how there was a pattern to what he did in each case."

Gwent Police’s deputy chief constable, Craig Guildford, reiterated his call for more victims to come forward.

“When Jon Styler made the decision to take his own life, he deprived his victims of the justice they deserve," he said.

“However, in making the brave decision to come forward, we have been able to refer those victims to organisations that can offer support and assistance.

“Crimes of this nature must not go unheard. We have specialist trained officers on hand to support victims and do everything possible to pursue those responsible.”

A spokeswoman for Newport City Council previously said: “Newport city council takes very seriously the allegation that a pupil who attended Malpas Church in Wales School in the 1970s was abused by a former head teacher.

“As this matter is subject to a legal claim for compensation, Newport city council is unable to comment further at this time.”

Mr Parry is just one of up to a dozen complainants said to have made allegations against Styler, along with former pupils from Brynglas Primary School and Bowbrook Private School.