A JURY has found three former South Cumbria residential school teachers not guilty of alleged historical mistreatment of pupils.
Andrew Elliot, 68, of Greatford, Stamford, Lincolnshire; Michael Lynch, 72, of Kirkhead Road, Grange-over-Sands; and 62-year-old Glyn Waterhouse, of Stainton, near Kendal, had been on trial at Carlisle Crown Court for the past month.
All former teachers at Witherslack Hall School, Grange-over-Sands, the three men each denied single charges alleging the physical assaults of different boys during the 1970s or 1980s.
This afternoon (WED), Mr Elliot, Mr Lynch and Mr Waterhouse were all found not guilty of allegations they had strenuously refuted by a jury of nine men and three women.
The acquittals followed deliberations of more than 12 hours, and immediately prompted Judge James Adkin to announce that the three ex-teachers could be discharged from the dock.
A fourth defendant, 78-year-old Roger Whitehouse, of Sea View, Haverigg, was acquitted of two alleged assaults on pupils, and – on the direction of Judge Adkin – was found not guilty of one child cruelty allegation.
Jurors have yet to reach verdicts both on one remaining child cruelty allegation denied by Whitehouse, and a child cruelty charge denied by a fifth man, 69-year-old Alec Greening, of Dalton, near Burton-in-Kendal, who has also been on trial.
After hearing jurors were requesting more time to consider verdicts on those two charges, Judge Adkin sent them home for the night.
The jury is due to resume its deliberations in the morning.
