Jury 'retires' in boarding school trial

Douglas man denies eight charges

Jurors in the trial of four men accused of assaulting pupils at a South Cumbria residential school have retired to consider their verdicts.

Among the defendants on trial at Carlisle Crown Court is former school owner, Derrick Cooper of Douglas.

Seventy-seven year-old Mr Cooper of Hillberry Green denies six charges alleging actual bodily harm assault and two child cruelty allegations which date back to the 1970s and 1980s.

Mr Cooper and three other former colleagues deny the alleged physical abuse of boys at the school for ‘troubled’ youngsters.

Over six weeks, a jury has heard conflicting accounts from witnesses.

A number of former pupils have claimed Mr Cooper - a former England volleyball player – ‘assaulted’ or ‘humiliated’ them; some spoke of being ‘kicked’ and ‘slapped’, while one claimed he was ‘head-butted’.

But giving evidence, Mr Cooper insisted the alleged violence ‘didn't happen’ and one ex-pupil called by the defence described him as a ‘big friendly giant’ and said ‘the staff were great’.

Today judge James Adkin summed up the evidence and said: ‘The main issue in this case is: can you be sure that any of these events happened?

‘If you think these events were - or may have been - fabricated then your verdicts should be verdicts of not guilty.

‘There are competing arguments here that you are going to have to navigate.’