Sefton Council Refuses to Admit Liability for Historic Child Abuse

SEFTON Metropolitan Borough Council has refused to admit liability for the sexual abuse of pupils at Formby High School during the:- 1970s, 1980s and 1990s at the hands of former teacher Ian Farquharson.

Andrew Grove & Co Solicitors is suing the authority on behalf of 66 former pupils who say they were abused at the Council-owned School between:- 1975 and 1992.

In a hearing at Liverpool County Court, on:- Monday, 30 September 2024, we are told by Andrew Grove & Co Solicitors that a barrister acting for the local authority stated that the Council refuses to admit liability.

Katherine Yates from Andrew Grove & Co Solicitors explained:- "The Council via their lawyers say that as there was no conviction in the criminal Court (because of Farquharson's suicide) they will not be admitting liability for the alleged abuse. The absurdity of this argument is that once a person is dead criminal proceedings cannot be pursued. By killing himself Farquharson gave himself the best defence in the world. Sadly in 1980 Farquharson was wrongly acquitted for similar sexual offences and his paedophilic activities resumed shortly thereafter until his death in May 1992. The wrongful acquittal meant that many more children suffered at his hands."

Mr Farquarson worked at the School from:- 1979 until May 1992 when he died of carbon monoxide poisoning. It is believed that just hours after a complaint was made about him to the then-headmaster, he left the School premises and drove to Mold, North Wales, where he killed himself by attaching a hose to his car exhaust.

One of the current claimants Mark (pseudonym), who wishes to remain anonymous, said:- "The attitude of Sefton Borough Council has left me in despair. I really believed that they would have some compassion for everything that we all suffered at that time and that many of us are still suffering. The reality is that they do not care at all. Whether it was at the time of the original trial in 1980, the other times when the abuse was brought to their attention or at the time Mr Farquharson killed himself, no-one at the School or local authority cared about his victims, and they still don't care."

Before working at:- Formby High School, Farquharson worked at Colomendy, an outdoor education centre near Mold, north Wales.

Andrew Grove and Co Solicitors is now also representing a client who is alleged to have also been abused by Farquharson while he was at Colomendy.

The abuse took place when the victim was just 8 years old, but it's believed Farquharson could have abused many more children at Colomendy while he worked there from the mid-1960s until 1979.

"Many people will have fond memories of their time at Colomendy, but for some children, the memories will be akin to nightmares. We have evidence that Farquharson lived at the School because we have a copy of his marriage certificate which states he was a teacher there and gives Colomendy Activity Centre as his residential address (then Colomendy School). There is a lot more we need to find out, including:- more details of his activities at that time. We do not know how many children were abused by him, but we do know that it is unlikely it was just the 1 individual, who has now come forward, and his friend. Our client has carried the burden of what happened to him for many years, and we believe there will be many more people carrying the same weight on their shoulders." said Katherine Yates.

The camp at Colomendy was originally built as a wartime evacuation facility before being transferred to Liverpool City Council in 1957 and turned into a boarding School and outdoor residential centre.

In the mid-2000s the Council leased the site to Kingswood to develop it as an outdoor pursuits centre. Kingswood has no connection to any of Farquharson's activities.

Katherine said:- "Although Ian Farquharson died many years ago, the memories of the horrendous abuse he inflicted are still very much alive and his victims deserve compensation for the sickening crimes they endured. If you went to Formby High School or Colomendy and have any information that might help with our investigations, or you suffered abuse yourself, I would urge you to get in touch. We are listening and we can help."

To speak to Katherine Yates in confidence please call:- 01223367133 or email:- Katherine@AndrewGroveAndCo.Com.

Merseysrail launches website to help reach the talent

MERSEYRAIL has launched a brand new recruitment website, which the City Region rail operator hopes will help it to attract the best new talent to its ranks.

Developed by recruitment website specialists Pinpoint, the new site provides potential applicants with an immersive candidate experience. It begins by giving budding railway employees a thorough understanding of what Merseyrail does, it's vision and values.

The site also allows those interested in becoming 1 of the varied roles available with the company, to learn more about specific jobs. From drivers, to train managers to customer relations assistants the new site provides detailed information about what they do day, to day, through real life staff testimonials.

And for those that do choose to apply, the process is seamless with intuitive processes and dedicated help and support available as candidates progress through their application.

James Smith, HR Director at Merseyrail is delighted to be launching the new site:- "Merseyrail's people are the heartbeat of our business and in turn the fantastic customer service we offer to the people of the Liverpool City Region. It's fundamental to the success of our business, that we attract the best to want to come and join us. This new tool seeks to broaden the appeal of roles in rail, helping us to build a Merseyrail team that reflects the diverse and wonderful Region we serve. The new recruitment website has been designed to put all of the information a potential future Merseyrail employee might want, at their fingertips. It's an intuitive, candidate focused experience and we look forward to hearing feedback to further improve the site as people begin to use it."

Anyone interested in joining the Merseyrail team can access the new site now by visiting:- Merseyrail.Org.