Survivors of abuse at London private boys’ school secure justice after decades of silence

Both claimants were 10 years old when they were abused by Dodd at the school in Croydon, London, in the 1980s.

The school’s headteacher was informed about the abuse at the time, but Dodd was never reported to the police even though he admitted the offences. 

Dodd was dismissed by the school and added to the Department of Education’s list of banned teachers. However, the Whitgift headmaster gave him a ‘glowing reference’ to take up a job as a teacher in New Zealand in around 1988.   

In 2019, a police investigation into Dodd was carried out and both claimants told officers about the abuse they had suffered. Dodd was charged and pleaded guilty in the criminal court to abusing both claimants and one other boy.  

Dodd initially received a suspended sentence, but this was changed to a four-year prison sentence after the Court of Appeal deemed a suspended sentence too lenient.   

In 2023, both men instructed Dino Nocivelli, abuse claims partner at law firm Leigh Day, to bring legal action against the Whitgift Foundation for its failure to protect them from abuse. 

Following a period of discussions with the Whitgift Foundation’s legal team, the claim was settled. The settlement included compensation for the pain and suffering that both men had suffered as a result of the abuse by their former teacher, who was in a position of trust over them, as well as written apologies.   

The case settled without a confidentiality clause or non-disclosure/gagging orders. Both men wish to remain anonymous.  

In New Zealand, it has been reported that eight men have made complaints to the police about Dodds, which involve allegations of "indecency".

Dino Nocivelli said:

“I am pleased that both of my clients have finally received the justice they deserve after so many years of pain and silence. This settlement is an acknowledgment of the failures that allowed this abuse to happen and provides some closure for the survivors. It is crucial that institutions learn from these tragic events and take all necessary steps to protect children in their care.”