Bangor University: Vice-chancellor apologises over emails

The vice-chancellor of Bangor University will retire earlier than planned after emails apparently about his private life were sent to staff.

Professor John G Hughes said the emails had been "doctored" and apologised for "any distress or unease" caused.

Prof Hughes had been due to step down at the end of the academic year but will now do so at the end of the month.

The university did not comment on the emails but confirmed he would retire at the end of December.

BBC Wales understands Prof Hughes' announcement came a day after he apologised to staff who received emails and attachments appearing to relate to his personal life.

In reaction to the communications, Prof Hughes is believed to have emailed staff on Monday.

In it, he said: "This morning, some of you received an email purporting to relate to my private life.

"The messages attached to this email dating from 2016 have been doctored and, whilst I do not want to go into details regarding what is clearly a very personal matter, I wanted to assure you that the messages are not what they seem."

Following the announcement Marian Wyn Jones, chairwoman of Council of Bangor University, said the university faced a number of challenges "many of which affect its strategy, direction and long-term success".

"We concluded that it would be in the university's best interests for those issues to be dealt with by a team which will be able to see through the changes, not only during the forthcoming months, but crucially also into the next academic year," she said.