The firm of solicitors at the centre of a civil law case against Lincolnshire County Council is accusing the authority of prolonging the suffering of survivors of abuse at Stubton Hall School by delaying paying damages.
After a lengthy legal process, Lincolnshire County Council has now started settling the claims made by former pupils, and eight out of over 50 have now agreed to settle.
Andrew Grove from Andrew Grove & Co Solicitors said: “We act for former pupils who suffered physical and/or sexual abuse from staff at the school. Two former senior members of staff received lengthy terms of imprisonment in 2021; one is currently serving 19 years and the other received a four-year sentence.
“Although I am pleased that cases are now settling, I am unhappy that the local authority is persistently late in paying damages to my clients. Once a claim has settled and both sides have agreed on the amount of the compensation to be paid, the claimant should receive their money within 14 days.
“Out of the eight claims that have settled, only two claimants have received their damages within the 14-day limit mandated by court rules. This is unacceptable and displays a contempt not just for court orders but for my clients who suffered a great deal of abuse while at Stubton Hall and feel that they are still being abused.”
Marie (not her real name) settled her claim against Lincolnshire County Council at the end of January but despite 14 days having elapsed since the agreement to settle, there is no sign of her damages arriving and no indication from the authority as to when they will be paid.
Marie said: “I don’t understand why they are doing this to us. They have been late paying most of the other claimants too. I settled my claim for a lower amount than my solicitors advised because I wanted to put the abuse and memories behind me and move on.
“I thought it would take them about a week to pay my compensation, but it is now over two weeks and there is still no sign of my money arriving. It is very disappointing as apparently the council are in breach of a court order.
“I feel that I still don’t count for anything in the eyes of the council just as I did not count for anything when I was a child in their care.”
Andrew Grove said “I do hope that Lincolnshire County Council will review their practices and start to abide by court orders. This should be a given and not a request.”
Fifty-one former pupils have now come forward to Andrew Grove and Co with complaints about Stubton Hall School which was owned and managed by Lincolnshire County Council.
In July 2021 the Headmaster of the school, David Taylor, from Brayford Wharf North, Lincoln, was imprisoned for 19 years and six months after being convicted of sexually and physically abusing pupils at the boarding school. Raymond Longley was convicted of sexually abusing girls at the school and was imprisoned for four years.
Комментарии