James Tooley Suspended as Vice-Chancellor of Buckingham University Over Affair Allegations
James Tooley, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Buckingham, was suspended in October over allegations of an affair with a woman from Hyderabad, India. The woman, whose identity remains undisclosed, claimed that Tooley helped her with university fees and that their relationship began while he was working on a project to develop low-cost private schools in Hyderabad for the underprivileged.
The allegations came to light after Tooley’s estranged wife, Cynthia, reportedly handed over diary entries believed to be written by the woman. Cynthia, who married Tooley in 2022 and is of Nigerian origin, had alerted the university management to the affair on October 11. She also raised concerns about a “suspicious object” at their official residence, leading to the discovery of a junior air rifle, although no criminal investigation was launched.
The woman initially claimed she was 18 when she met Tooley, but later revised her statement to say she was 25 when the relationship began. The affair is said to have ended in 2019. Tooley has vehemently denied all allegations, describing them as “baseless.”
Senior counsel Joseph O’Brien KC is currently investigating the matter, with a report expected before Christmas. Tooley, who became vice-chancellor in 2020, has yet to comment further on the ongoing investigation.
