Following a long investigation by West Mercia Police into allegations of sexual abuse by teachers at Rhydd Court School in Malvern, eight men and women will now stand trial on charges of physical and sexual abuse of children in their care at the school between the late 1970s and early 1990s.
Investigation into alleged child abuse at Rhydd Court School
Rhydd Court School was run by Worcestershire County Council as a weekday boarding school catering to vulnerable children who had been assessed as having moderate learning difficulties. It was closed in the early 1990s following an initial Police investigation. Further investigations have since reopened.
The former teachers from Rhydd Court School are charged with the following:
- Cynthia Moore (aged 81):
- Conspiring to commit a sexual offence with a boy under the age of 16;
- Conspiring to indecently assault a boy under 16; and
- Assaulting/ill-treating/neglecting/abandoning a child to cause unnecessary suffering or injury (child cruelty).
- John Dixon (82):
- Assault/ill-treat/neglect/abandon a child to cause a young person unnecessary suffering or injury (conspiracy to commit child cruelty);
- Two charges of conspiring to commit a sexual offence;
- Four sexual offences; and
- Six indecent assaults.
- Michael Connor (69):
- Two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm;
- Three counts of conspiring to commit a sexual offence;
- Three counts of conspiring to commit indecent assaults; and
- One count of indecent assault.
- Terence Heath (74):
- Two counts of conspiring to commit a sexual offence; and
- Two indecent assaults.
- Anita Gunning (59):
- Conspiring together with another teacher to indecently assault a boy under the age of 14;
- Indecently assaulting the same boy in a tent; and
- Indecently assaulting a second boy under 14.
- David Sykes (75):
- Wounding/inflicting grievous bodily harm, involving a perforated eardrum; and
- Indecently assaulting a boy under 16.
- Charmaine James (61):
- Gross indecency with a boy under 14; and
- Two indecent assaults, one on a boy aged under 16 and another on a man aged over 16.
- Marie Handy (51):
- Indecently assaulting a boy under 14.
The teachers appeared at Worcester Magistrates Court on 4 August 2022 and were granted unconditional bail. They will appear in Court again on 31 August 2022.
The NSPCC has set up a helpline for anyone who would like to pass information to the investigative team or would like help and support. To contact the NSPCC call 0844 8921 026 or email [email protected]
How can we help
Dianne Collins is a Senior Associate in our expert Personal Injury team.
If you suffered abuse in an institution such as local authority care, at school or at church even if it was a long time ago, you may be able to make a civil claim for compensation. If you would like confidential, free advice on whether you can claim compensation, please contact Dianne on 0800 024 1976 or via our online enquiry form.
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