Liverpool school abuse: We are the forgotten boys, survivors say

Victims of widespread historic sexual and physical abuse at a council-run school have said police let them down by missing a crucial chance to stop it.

They have also told the BBC they feel they were failed by Liverpool City Council, which ran the now-closed Lower Lee residential school in Woolton.

The council said "it should never have been allowed to happen" and was "truly sorry" for the impact on the men.

Merseyside Police said it would now review its investigation.

BBC North West spoke with nine victims and their families.

The victims, who call themselves "The Forgotten Boys", have also demanded a public inquiry to examine how the abuse was able to go unchecked for nearly two decades in the 1980s and 90s.

They said their lives had been destroyed by staff who meted out severe beatings, forced them to stand naked in corridors and sexually assaulted children as young as five.

While two men were convicted and jailed in the 1990s, victims have claimed other abusers were never brought to justice.

"It was the place of horrors - mentally and physically," said Jack Barnes, who wept as he recalled being sent to Lower Lee as a young boy.

"My childhood was stolen from me," said the now 48-year-old.

Mr Barnes, who has chosen to waive his right to anonymity, added: "I was whipped with wet towels, hit with hockey sticks and cricket balls by teachers. Locked in classrooms with tables and chairs thrown at me.

"Staff would come round kissing us of an evening and put their tongue down our throats.

"I ran away repeatedly and social services sent me back. I told them what was going to happen and they still sent me back.

"We are the Forgotten Boys. We've all got the same problems. I still wake up sweating every night, I can't eat properly.

"The council, the local authorities have never been held to account. We need a public inquiry, apologies and closure so we can mentally get ourselves together. We need to be listened to for the sake of humanity."

Lower Lee, which closed in 2009, catered for boys with educational or behavioural difficulties.

In the 1990s, Merseyside Police investigated abuse at the school under Operation Care.

Two men - child care officer Thomas Curbishley and head of care Peter Amundsen - were jailed.

Amundsen pleaded guilty to 53 sexual abuse offences spanning almost 20 years and against eight boys aged between 12 and 15.

The sentencing judge told him: "You are an evil man. Your behaviour was monstrous and you are a sexual monster.

"Your behaviour was an abomination and desecration of the innocence of young boys."

Liverpool Crown Court was told Amundsen was hired despite having no qualifications and having been mentally ill.

The judge said there was no adequate system of monitoring, scrutiny or checks on the backgrounds of paedophiles.

Victims have claimed other staff members were never brought to justice, and that Merseyside Police missed an opportunity to stop Amundsen when he first started abusing pupils.

"I was beaten so badly by Amundsen at school I had bruises and marks all over my body," one victim said. "I found some clothes and ran away. I managed to get home, my mum saw me and took me to the police station. This was in the early 1980s.

"Officers took photographs of me. I made a statement. And nothing happened. I trusted the police. I was a scared young boy and there was no outcome.

"If my case had gone forward, Amundsen could have been prosecuted and other poor innocent kids going to that school wouldn't have been abused. It could have been stopped.

"I can't block out the things that happened to me at Lower Lee, what the staff did to me. It's 40 years later and I can't get it out of my head.

"I was that scared at school I used to wet the bed. My punishment was to be put in a bath so hot I couldn't stand it. I was grabbed by the arm and pulled down into it. My body was burning."

Some of the victims said they had turned to drink and drugs to block out the enduring pain, while others have tried to take their own lives.

"I was using painkillers to block out the memories," said one. "I just wanted to end the pain and the horrible memories because I can't take it.

"I was constantly, constantly frightened at Lower Lee because you didn't know what the staff would do next.

"I fell asleep in class once and the teacher dragged me out and kicked and punched me. I had purple bruises all over my arms. And then he asked me if I loved him. And he was putting his hands down my trousers.

"The council, the police, they should have known what was going on. I just feel like everything's been buried under the carpet and they've said 'forget about it'."

For anyone affected by the issues raised in this story, information about a range of support is available via the BBC Action Line

Merseyside Police told the BBC it was aware of "abhorrent abuse" at Lower Lee, and that it received reports of abuse from 14 victims during its original investigation in the 1990s.

Deputy Chief Constable Ian Critchley said: "As a result of information put to us by BBC North West Tonight, we are reviewing the original investigation and will be speaking to those victims to determine if any reinvestigation should take place.

"It is truly humbling and emotive to hear the voices of victims of child abuse and we need to ensure we commit our service to improve in every aspect.

"I have apologised, in my role as the national lead for child protection, to all the victims of abuse that policing has let down and I continue to reiterate that heartfelt apology."

A spokesperson for Liverpool City Council said: "The young people were let down by those who were supposed to be taking care of them.

"We are truly sorry for the impact the abuse has had on the lives of those affected. It should never have been allowed to happen.

"That is why we worked closely with Merseyside Police on the Operation Care investigation in the 1990s which brought to justice some of those responsible and, more recently, the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse."

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