Second arrest in Boris prep school abuse inquiry

Sussex Police said its investigations spanned a period from the late 1950s to the early 1990s

A second man has been questioned by police investigating historical sex abuse allegations at a prep school attended by London Mayor Boris Johnson.

Police said a 64-year-old was arrested in Brighton on suspicion of indecent assault and gross indecency and bailed.

Detectives began investigating abuse claims at Ashdown House Preparatory School in Forest Row, East Sussex dating back to the 1970s in January.

The school's former headmaster Clive Williams, 69, was arrested in July.

Legal action

Det Insp Mark O'Brien of Sussex Police said: "We have since been in contact with 20 people who have reported offences against them, including those clients.

"Most have already been interviewed by officers from our specialist child protection team in East Sussex.

"Arrangements are in hand to interview the others, some of whom live abroad. The investigation continues and now spans a period from the late 1950s to the early 1990s."

Mr Williams, from Barcombe, near Lewes, was headmaster at Ashdown House Preparatory School for more than 25 years before he left in 2003.

He was questioned by Sussex Police about alleged sexual assault and child neglect offences against pupils in July and released on bail until 11 November.

Sussex Police said previously there were no current safeguarding issues at the 125-pupil school, which has been owned by the Cothill Educational Trust since 2009.

In a statement in January, the trust said it understood it may be the subject of legal proceedings relating to episodes of historical abuse.

Mr Johnson's sister, journalist Rachel Johnson, and actor Damian Lewis were also pupils at the school.

Boris Johnson is among former pupils at Ashdown House Preparatory School