Eight former pupils of a Welsh school, who were victims of sexual abuse by a teacher, have been awarded out of court settlements.

The former pupils were assaulted by drama teacher, John Owen, who had worked at the school for 17 years. The victims brought a case against the education authority, claiming that it had been negligent in its duty to protect them.

Mr Owen began teaching at the school in 1974 but resigned in 1991 after he was alleged to have engaged in unorthodox conduct and teaching methods. In 2001, Mr Owen was charged with five counts of indecent assault, but he was found dead in a caravan the day before he was due in court.

In 2002, an inquiry was launched into the allegations. This found fresh evidence of sexual abuse by Mr Owen over a period of two decades.

Independent medical experts confirmed that the victims suffered severe trauma as a result of what happened. A settlement was reached before the case was due before the County Court. The compensation agreed for the victims is an acknowledgement of their suffering. The amount of compensation remains undisclosed.