Skegby Hall: Ex-housemaster says child sex abuse claims are 'lies'

One complainant's accusations of abuse at Skegby Hall were put to Nigel Pipe on Wednesday

An ex-housemaster has told a court claims he abused a boy at a school in the 1960s were "fantasy" and "lies".

Nigel Pipe, 87, has been accused of 27 sex offences relating to five boys while working at Skegby Hall, an approved boys school in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire.

He allegedly committed the crimes while in his 30s and living there with his wife, Nottingham Crown Court heard.

Mr Pipe, of Llanwenarth View, Govilon, Abergavenny, denies all charges.

Skegby Hall was an approved school that had the capacity to house 56 boys, up until its closure in 1992.

During cross examination by prosecutor Sarah Knight, Mr Pipe said allegations of abuse were "just a fantasy".

The former relief housemaster said: "It did not happen. It is just nonsense."

When the prosecutor said the former student claimed it was a regular occurrence, Mr Pipe replied: "It is not right. It is absolutely not right."

'Complete pack of lies'

Ms Knight asked Mr Pipe about another instance where he allegedly took the boy from his room to another part of the dormitory building and sexually assaulted him going "much further than previous abuse", after lights out.

He said: "Nothing like that ever happened. It is pure fabrication on his part. I would not go down there with a boy in the middle of the night for any reason."

Ms Knight also questioned Mr Pipe about sexually assaulting and raping the same boy during a camping trip but Mr Pipe said he did not go on this outing.

"It is a complete pack of lies. I was not there and did not do it," he said.

Mr Pipe denies four counts of a serious sexual offence with a boy under 16, 14 counts of indecent assault on a boy under the age of 16, and nine counts of inciting a boy under the age of 14 to commit an act of gross indecency.

The trial continues.

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