John Owen (author)


John Owen was a children's author and director and is best known for his Welsh teen television drama “Pam fi Duw” , a series of books and TV programmes which he wrote and directed. In 1995, 1997 and 1999 he won the Tir na n-Og Award for the best Welsh Language fiction book for Children.
Owen was a former Welsh teacher and Head of Lower school at Ysgol Gyfun Rhydfelen near Pontypridd, South Wales.

Education

John Owen was a former pupil and prefect at Ysgol Gyfun Rhydfelen. He completed his Bachelor of Education degree in 1974 at Trinity College in Carmarthen; in the same year he took up his first teaching appointment at his former secondary school.

Child abuse

In September 2001, John Owen was arrested and charged with serious criminal offences against children at Ysgol Gyfun Rhydfelen. On October the 4th 2001 John Owen was found dead at his caravan in Porthcawl having failed to appear in court. He had committed suicide.
Later an inquiry was launched by the Children's Commissioner Peter Clarke called the “Clywch Report” which also listed some of the allegation against John Owen, and gave recommendations that should be implemented to stop something similar happening again.