Sefton Council criticized the claims of teacher sexual abuse

Lawyers acting for dozens of former pupils who say they were sexually abused by a teacher have said they are being denied justice after a local authority refused to accept liability.

Sixty-six people who attended Formby High School in Merseyside have filed a complaint against Sefton Council over its failure to properly investigate allegations against Ian Farquharson at the council school.

The council has reached a settlement with 16 of the former students, but lawyers claim it is refusing to resolve the cases of another 50.

Sefton Council said: “We are having constructive discussions with the claimants’ lawyers. Given that these matters are subject to legal proceedings, it would be inappropriate to comment further.”

The former students say Farquharson abused them at the school between 1975 and 1992.

He was charged but later acquitted of gross indecency in 1980, but is said to have continued his abuse for years.

Andrew Grove & Co Solicitors, which is acting for the ex-pupils, said that just hours after a complaint was made about him to the then headteacher, he left the school premises and drove to Mold, North Wales, where he committed suicide .

During a hearing at Liverpool County Court, a lawyer acting on behalf of the local authority said the council is refusing to admit liability.

Lawyer Katherine Yates said: “The council, through their lawyers, say that as there has been no conviction in the criminal court over Farquharson’s suicide, they will admit no liability for the alleged abuse.

“The absurdity of this argument is that once someone is dead, there is no further criminal prosecution. By committing suicide, Farquharson gave himself the best defense in the world.

“The wrongful acquittal meant that many more children had to suffer at his hands.”

A former student told the BBC: ‘I am traumatized by what happened.

‘Farquharson made what he did sound very natural. He was the head teacher, I was just a kid, what could I do?

“The attitude of the council has made me desperate.

‘I really believed that they would have some compassion for everything that we all suffered then and that many of us still suffer.

Ms Yates continued: “Now is the time to resolve these matters. Sefton Council has dealt with 16 of the 66 cases, why not the rest?

“If not, we will go to court with the city.”