Lower Lee School: Appeal for information about abuse by former staff

The men allegedly suffered sexual, physical, emotional and verbal abuse at the school that was for boys who were deemed to have behavioural problems.  A number of them have obtained convictions against their abusers Peter Amunsden and Tom Curbishley, while other alleged abusers have still not faced criminal justice or have died.  Amunsen was head of care at the school and pleaded guilty to 53 offences over almost 20 years. They involved eight boys aged between 12 and 15 years. He was sentenced to 12 years’ in prison in 1999.
 
The men are calling for others to come forward and to provide further evidence regarding their allegations of abuse. They have  instructed Leigh Day abuse team partner Dino Nocivelli to represent them in their civil legal claim against the Liverpool City Council who ran the school.
 
Some of the men were abused by one staff member while others were abused by numerous members of staff. The positions of trust held by staff at the school meant that they had to suffer in silence as they thought people would not believe them, or if they did show signs of the abuse they were ignored.
 
The group of men were boarders at the school which was run by Liverpool City Council and closed in 2009. All of the men are alleging they were abused as children, with some being as young as six-years-old.
 
Dino Nocivelli, partner in the abuse team, said:
 
“My clients were vulnerable not just due to their age and the fact they were having to board at the school but also because of their perceived behavioural issues.  They deserve answers as to how someone like Peter Amunsden was able to get a job at the school despite, as the criminal judge who sentenced him stated, having no qualifications to do the job as head of care at the residential school. The judge further stated he had little experience and there was“deliberate, systematic and very extensive sexual abuse of children” at the school.
 
“It is time that my clients obtain justice for what they have suffered and that Liverpool City Council accepts accountability for the abuse that allegedly happened under their watch.”
 
If any staff or pupils have information about alleged abuse at Lower Lee School they are asked to contact Dino Nocivelli on tel 020 7650 1397 or email dnocivelli@leighday.co.uk