A headteacher accused of bullying staff and professional misconduct during his time at an Oxfordshire school said the stress caused by the allegations would have driven a weaker man to suicide.

Alan Klee, who resigned from Carterton Community College in 2003 and now works as a headteacher in Kent, spoke out after a General Teaching Council (GTC) Professional Conduct Committee failed to reach a decision on the allegations.

The committee heard claims that Mr Klee bullied and intimidated staff, showed disregard for college policy, did not properly engage with staff, obstructed school governors and failed in his professional duty. As reported in yesterday's Oxford Mail, the case has been adjourned until April.

Speaking afterwards, an emotional Mr Klee, who still lives in Shipton-under-Wychwood, described the delay as "appalling".

He said: "My treatment has been intolerable. I brought this case to the GTC to find some semblance of justice.

"I believed I'd be vindicated, but now it will be for another day. Me and my family will have to live with that stress."

Mr Klee was at the college for 10 years, taking over in September 1994, aged 41, with 20 years' teaching experience.

The allegations date back to the period 2001-2003.

Oxfordshire County Council, the education authority, was not involved in bringing the conduct case against Mr Klee, but was asked to provide information for it.

Mr Klee described the process as "a witch hunt".

He said: "This has been going on for nearly four years - but these cases are normally held in a year.

"Someone not as strong as me would suffer enormous amounts of physical hardship - suffering a heart attack or taking their own life.

"I have no regrets. I believe I am innocent."

He said he was proud of his record as a headteacher, which included taking two schools out of special measures - Drayton School in Banbury and Minster College in Sheerness, where he is headteacher.

He added: "I now find myself in the bizarre situation of being praised in Kent, and derided and castigated in Oxfordshire."