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Former Royal Alexandra and Albert School housemaster pleads guilty to sexual offences

According to media reports a former housemaster at a Surrey boarding school has pleaded guilty to a series of sexual offences against children in his care between 1975 and 1985.

Posted on 15 November 2019

Allen Meredith pleaded guilty to 14 charges of sexual offences against children on 4 November 2019 according to the Times newspaper

Solicitors in the abuse team at Leigh Day, Alison Millar and Andrew Lord represent two former pupils at the same school, the Royal Alexandra and Albert School who were sexually abused by Meredith, as well as pupils abused by other teachers at the school.

Former pupil ‘Jonathan’ received a six-figure settlement for the sexual abuse that he was subjected to by another former housemaster at the school, Philip Batten. 

Batten was sentenced to 17 years in prison in May 2016 following a conviction for 42 charges of child sexual abuse between 1975 and 1985 against former pupils, including Jonathan. 

Judge Neill Stewart noted when handing down the sentence that Batten had ‘used and abused’ boys at the school for his own personal gratification, amounting to ‘the most extreme breach of trust’.  

Solicitors representing the two former pupils sexually abused by Allen Meredith, Alison Millar and Andrew Lord, said: 

“We are appalled by the sexual abuse that former pupils at the Royal Alexandra and Albert School experienced due to housemasters Allen Meredith and Philip Batten between the 1960s to the 1980s. 

“When a parent places their child into a school it is done so in the belief that they will be cared for and safe. Instead, multiple children, including the five we are representing at Leigh Day, were subjected to sexual abuse which they were unable to escape from.” 

Allen Meredith has yet to be sentenced. 

Leigh Day continues to represent other former pupils of Royal Alexandra and Albert school who were subjected to abuse by staff members.