Disgruntled ex-lecturer and his muse show stomach for a fight

For US scholar Howard Fredrics, it was a shock to find out that he was second on a global "most wanted" list released by police in London.

The former music lecturer at Kingston University had been cleared of harassing via a website the institution's vice-chancellor, Sir Peter Scott, in 2010.

However, he is still wanted by the authorities for failing to appear at Kingston Magistrates' Court in July that year to answer public order charges relating to an incident at a bus stop.

The long-running dispute between Kingston and disgruntled former employee Dr Fredrics - who had created a website dedicated to criticising the institution and Sir Peter - took a fresh twist when the ex-lecturer was named in the local press as one of the most wanted individuals being sought by police in Kingston.

There was one obvious response open to Dr Fredrics: post a music video on YouTube.

Titled Circle of Corruption, it interposes stills of press stories about the university with shots of a belly-dancer gambolling through a field and writhing suggestively on a branch in the former Kingston School of Music campus.

Dr Fredrics, who was senior lecturer of music at the institution between 2003 and 2006, enlisted the help of Lori, his wife, for the recording (performing under the name Artressa Phunding).

Since leaving Kingston, Dr Fredrics has used his website to post recordings of lecturers at the university apparently urging students to inflate their National Student Survey scores.

Speaking to Times Higher Education, Dr Fredrics said that the belly-dancing showcased in the video had been chosen deliberately to mirror the themes highlighted in the accompanying song.

He claimed that he had been advised that he would not be allowed to re-enter the UK, even if he did attempt to return to face the charges.

The police wanted notice for Dr Fredrics says: "Current believed location: New Jersey or Texas, US."

Dr Fredrics would not disclose his location to THE.

However, he said: "My whereabouts are 'unknown'. I might even be somewhere rather close by."

sarah.cunnane@tsleducation.com