Chloe Hadjimatheou

The thing with Gareth is his mental health issues mean he can't hold down a job. So he has loads of time on his hands to think about his next steps. And as far as he's concerned, the police dropping the case, it isn't the end of the story.

That photo Gareth's talking about was on a school website because after she left Christ's College back in 1988, Miss Bowen carried on teaching, without consequence, 14 more schools in total. It's the lack of accountability that makes Gareth so angry. So in 2022, Gareth goes to the Teaching Regulation Agency, the TRA. It's the bit of the Ministry of Education that oversees the profession.

That photo Gareth's talking about was on a school website because after she left Christ's College back in 1988, Miss Bowen carried on teaching, without consequence, 14 more schools in total. It's the lack of accountability that makes Gareth so angry. So in 2022, Gareth goes to the Teaching Regulation Agency, the TRA. It's the bit of the Ministry of Education that oversees the profession.

They have real power to intervene if someone makes a serious allegation against the teacher, even if it's historic.

They have real power to intervene if someone makes a serious allegation against the teacher, even if it's historic.

The TRA hearing is very court-like, although there are a couple of differences. For a start, although it has the look and feel of a criminal court, it follows the civil standard of proof rather than the criminal one. That means the allegations can be considered proven on the balance of probabilities. That's a lower standard than beyond reasonable doubt.

The TRA hearing is very court-like, although there are a couple of differences. For a start, although it has the look and feel of a criminal court, it follows the civil standard of proof rather than the criminal one. That means the allegations can be considered proven on the balance of probabilities. That's a lower standard than beyond reasonable doubt.

In Gareth's case, the whole thing took place online via video link and it went on for months.

In Gareth's case, the whole thing took place online via video link and it went on for months.

What you're listening to is a recreation based on a transcript of the hearing. The entire thing runs close to 200 pages. So we combed through it and these are the sections we think are the most revealing of how the case played out.

What you're listening to is a recreation based on a transcript of the hearing. The entire thing runs close to 200 pages. So we combed through it and these are the sections we think are the most revealing of how the case played out.

It's now November 2022 and Gareth, or Pupil A as he's being publicly referred to in the hearing, is sitting at home in his living room looking at a handful of boxes on a screen.

It's now November 2022 and Gareth, or Pupil A as he's being publicly referred to in the hearing, is sitting at home in his living room looking at a handful of boxes on a screen.

It's the first time he's seen her since she told him she was leaving for a kibbutz in Israel 34 years ago. Back then in 1988, they were teacher and pupil. Now they're both adults, he a man of 50 and she in her 60s, just a few years short of retirement. All this took place months before Gareth came to see me with his story, but everything you've heard him say over the last three episodes?

It's the first time he's seen her since she told him she was leaving for a kibbutz in Israel 34 years ago. Back then in 1988, they were teacher and pupil. Now they're both adults, he a man of 50 and she in her 60s, just a few years short of retirement. All this took place months before Gareth came to see me with his story, but everything you've heard him say over the last three episodes?

His entire account of what went on between them was put to Miss Bowen by barristers who cross-examined her over several days.

His entire account of what went on between them was put to Miss Bowen by barristers who cross-examined her over several days.

I always thought it was pretty unlikely that I'd get the chance to speak to Sally-Ann Bowen. I had hoped. I wrote her a letter and emails. But the TRA hearing means that, even if she doesn't want to talk to me, we can hear from Miss Bowen herself. This isn't her real voice, but these are her real words.

I always thought it was pretty unlikely that I'd get the chance to speak to Sally-Ann Bowen. I had hoped. I wrote her a letter and emails. But the TRA hearing means that, even if she doesn't want to talk to me, we can hear from Miss Bowen herself. This isn't her real voice, but these are her real words.

As she's being questioned by her own lawyer, Gareth's watching it all on his laptop screen at home. It's the same woman he remembers. Older now, but still the same long blonde hair and the same mannerisms. He's nervous as hell, but he's also dying to know what she's going to say.