Letter: Student disciplinary procedures: where responsibility lies

Sir: John Torode misrepresents this college's handling of the Donnellan case. The college never suggested to Austen Donnellan that he should do a deal that would involve his admitting guilt for the alleged offence in return for the matter being kept from the police. Judge Edwards' report in fact says that 'there was no improper discussion or conduct by the college, nor was any threat or inducement or other pressure put on Mr Donnellan'.

Further, while Mr Torode reports that Miss X claimed that the college had advised her not to go to the police, Judge Edwards' inquiry specifically found that 'the college had wanted the matter to be referred to the police all along'.

We have accepted that we made an error in not refusing to act on Miss X's allegation until it had been referred to the police and disposed of through the criminal law, but the judge's report demonstrates that the college was nevertheless highly committed throughout to trying to achieve justice both for Mr Donnellan and for Miss X.

Yours faithfully,

ARTHUR LUCAS

Principal

King's College

London, SE1

20 April