Oakwood School pupils remember abuse

Eric de Smith, Michael Watts and Gerald West taught at the school which was open 1974-2000

Victims of child cruelty at a former state boarding school have been recounting life under an "abusive regime", as the former head is jailed and two other teachers sentenced.

The three men were staff at Oakwood School in Stowmarket and were convicted following a Suffolk Police investigation.

The school for boys aged eight-16 with emotional and behavioural problems opened in 1974 and closed in 2000 over concerns about educational standards.

The former head, Eric de Smith, 76, of Danes Close, Stowmarket, has been sent to prison for seven years for sexual assaults and indecency involving several boys in the 1970s and 1980s.

Gerald West, 71, of Martins Meadow, Gislingham, Suffolk, and Michael Watts, 59, of Sellwood Road, Netley Abbey, Southampton, were given 12-month conditional discharges after each admitted two physical abuse charges earlier this week.

Two victims of the physical abuse appeared as witnesses at the trial of West and Watts, who changed their pleas half way through their trial at Ipswich Crown Court.

The abuse included punching pupils, force-feeding them and on one occasion a pupil who was sick after a meal was forced to eat the vomit.

Steve Austin is one of more than 100 former Oakwood pupils seeking compensation

Jerry Headley, 39, was at the school from 1985 until he left in 1990 aged 14 and returned to a mainstream school in Ipswich.

"There was a regime of systematic abuse directed against certain individuals and I was one of them," he said.

"We're talking about abuse beyond normal discipline - it was antagonistic behaviour where you would be walking past a teacher and you'd get a punch or you were force-fed food.

"I was also called 'nigger' by Watts and heard racist jokes."

'Power trip'

Steve Austin, 39, who was at the school from 1990 to 1992, said: "There were good teachers, but there were certain ones who should not have been trusted to look after vulnerable children.

"Michael Watts was by far the worst in my experience - he just seemed to be on a constant power trip and seemed to be enjoying it as well.

"It was made clear to us by the abusive staff that we were in that school for a reason and it would be our word against theirs and [there would be] repercussions if we were to speak out."

Other former pupils, who were not witnesses in the court trials, have spoke of being "traumatised" by their time at the school.

Oakwood closed in 2000 and is now a pupil referral unit

Mr Headley and Mr Austin are among a group of more than 100 ex-pupils who have mounted a civil claim for compensation against Suffolk County Council, which ran Oakwood.

Andrew Grove, the solicitor representing the former pupils, said: "The boys lived in constant fear of severe and painful discipline, which is very bad for their character development and future livelihoods.

"With the convictions and pleas of guilty, we hope Suffolk County Council will not be contesting the facts of the matter and we can get on with discussing the level of compensation for each person.

"In similar class actions we've fought, the compensation can range from £15,000 to £50,000, but it depends on the frequency and severity of abuse and the ongoing damage."

'Different era'

Corporal punishment was outlawed in UK schools in 1987.

Cliff James, head of "corporate parenting" at Suffolk County Council, said: "Allegations straddle the period when corporal punishment was allowed.

"It was a different era and subsequently we've gone for a different strategy of managing this type of young person with pupil referral units, and much more of an emphasis on community-based provision, rather than sending young people away to boarding schools.

"In terms of the compensation claim, it's a matter that will go through the civil process and I'm sure that over the next six months or so we will come to some form of resolution."

Mr Headley said: "When I heard Oakwood was closing I thought it was about time - it was a relic of the past."

The three former staff members are due to be sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court later.