[T]WO men accused of being violent towards two boys at a South Cumbria residential school have been cleared of any wrongdoing.
James Robert Farish, 58, and Trevor Taylor, 75, each denied single charges alleging the assaults of individual pupils at Underley Hall School, Kirkby Lonsdale. These were said to have occurred during either the 1970s or 1980s while both men worked there as teachers.
The men – neither of whom have any criminal convictions or cautions – denied the respective allegations while giving evidence during a trial at Carlisle Crown Court.
During his spell in the witness box, Mr Taylor said to jurors of the complainants who had earlier given evidence: “I know they have stood here and lied to you.”
This afternoon, Mr Farish, of Oakwood, Kendal, and Mr Taylor, of Lower Park Royd Drive, Sowerby Bridge, were found not guilty, unanimously, by the jury.
As a result, Judge James Adkin said: “Mr Taylor and Mr Farish can leave the dock. Thank you both very much.”
The foreman announced that jurors had not reached any verdicts on which they were all agreed in respect of two other defendants. They are 77-year-old former Underley Hall owner Derrick Cooper, of Hillberry Green, Douglas, Isle of Man, and ex-maintenance manager David Hadwin, 71, of Raygarth Gardens, Kirkby Lonsdale.
Jurors were sent home for the night by Judge Adkin, and are due to resume deliberations in the morning.
