THE independent report into the case of Dr Lee Salter will make very uncomfortable reading for bosses at the University of Sussex this morning.

The problem is that no action appeared to be taken when students felt uncomfortable following his attack on his girlfriend in 2015

Students across Falmer were well aware of what had been going on and having continued contact with Salter was far from easy.

It sent out completely the wrong message. Students having relationships with lecturers is a very difficult subject for these institutions. Ages can be close so a blanket ban is therefore a difficult thing to enforce. But some students will start their studies there as teenagers and this is the area where there should be a duty of care. Salter let the university down. The justice system then let down his victim by giving him a suspended sentence.

The university then let down his victim and its students by allowing Salter to carry on as if nothing had happened.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Adam Tickell was not at the university when all this happened. It happened during Professor Michael Farthing’s time.

Professor Tickell deserves a lot of credit for commissioning the report on his first day. He also deserves credit for apologising personally to Ms Smith and admitting the university’s response was “inadequate”.

This gives us huge belief that the same mistakes will not be repeated. Teachers and lecturers deserve protection. But it seems hard to believe that anybody could have taken Allison Smith’s complaints without thinking that quick action was needed to keep Salter away from students.