Harassed teacher says King's Lynn head not fit to run school

Chloe Regester was in her first teaching job, aged 21, when she joined Howard Junior School in King's Lynn where Gregory Hill, 48, was headteacher. 

Gregory Hill was found guilty of harassment and will be sentenced in September (Image: Newsquest)

He has been found guilty of harassment including bombarding her with dozens of social media messages when she spurned his advances. 

READ MORE: ‘Controlling’ headteacher guilty of harassing young trainee after declaring his love

“I am extremely relieved that this cannot happen to anyone else ever again,” she said after breaking down after hearing the verdict.

“I have changed completely to become a carcass of my proper self because of this and I didn’t want anyone else to have to experience it.

“Mr Hill was aware of his actions and he was aware they were inappropriate and I’m glad that can be seen now.” 

Gregory Hill insisted Chloe Regester accompany him to Sandringham after the death of the Queen (Image: Chris Bishop)

As well as being headteacher Hill was also the chief executive of the Apollo Academies Trust, whose only school was Howard Junior.

READ MORE: Love-spurned headteacher launched campaign of harassment against trainee, court told

“The trust was him; he had no one to question him. That is why I have stuck to this,” said Ms Regester

“It has been the hardest slog but I know that he should not be in charge of a school or in charge of children.”

She now plans to campaign for the abolition or greater regulation of single-school trusts describing them as “totally inappropriate”. 

“I would like more questions to be asked about expectations around school leaders and people in power,” she added.

She added: “I think there are a number of people who made errors in their duties to safeguard and protect me.”

Gregory Hill was also chief executive of the Apollo Academies Trust, whose only school was Howard Junior. (Image: Newsquest)

READ MORE: King's Lynn headteacher 'harassed second trainee teacher'

The court was told she had repeatedly complained to another senior staff member who was acting as a mentor. 

However after feeling no action was taken she requested a face-to-face meeting with the school chair of governors.

She also resorted to secretly recording a conservation where she confronted Hill.

Now aged 24 and a fully qualified teacher at another Norfolk primary school whose head is “amazing”, she said: “This has been three years that have been the hardest of my life to get through.”