Former Wolverhampton head accused of sexually abusing pupils giving public talks after claiming he was too ill to stand trial

Colin Cope taught at Wolverhampton's Tettenhall College for 14 years and the accusations related to the early 1970s.

The five former pupils, now in their 50s, were paid £129,000 in a civil claim by the boarding school.

But footage has now come to light of Mr Cope in apparently good health just months after the trial collapsed in 2009. Mr Cope was 78 at the time when a judge at Shrewsbury Crown Court ruled he could not receive a fair trial because physical and mental health problems meant that he did not know 'what was going on' and would be unable to defend himself.

But footage from eight months later showed him telling jokes and reciting poetry while giving a public talk at a church.

He is also seen driving his car, carrying a table and climbing steep stairs while giving paying visitors a guided tour of his 18th-century National Trust home.

Three of the alleged victims - Andrew Wood, Mark Shelton and Paul Barrington - have now waived their right to anonymity.

Mr Cope, first arrested in 2006, has denied any wrongdoing and West Midlands Police say the April 2010 footage is unlikely to result in the trial being resurrected.

The alleged victims gave statements to police claiming the sexual abuse took place in Mr Cope's private rooms at the school, as well as on camping trips, in a boy's bedroom and in his car.

Mr Shelton, 57, said: "I've lived my life in shame. His actions took away any love, any faith and trust I had.

"Those events changed me from a loving, caring, outgoing little chap to someone who was very introverted and very suspicious of people who came close to me. I've spent my entire life pushing people away."

Mr Wood, 56, added: "One of the police officers who'd dealt with our case phoned and said he wanted to come and speak with me.

"When he told me, it felt like the end of the world. The officer seemed as shocked as I was by the decision."

In the video Mr Cope remarked he was 'far too busy to be ill'.

The alleged victims received payments ranging from £5,000 to £60,000 in July 2012 when they accepted an offer to settle a civil claim against the school, which did not admit liability.

Tettenhall College stressed that no staff currently working there were at the school 40 years ago.

In a statement, the school said: "Tettenhall College co-operated fully with the police investigation and provided as much assistance as possible.

"We would like to reassure pupils, parents, guardians and relatives that we have contemporary child safeguarding policies in place and ensuring the safety of our pupils is a priority."

A recent inspection of the school rated its pastoral care as excellent.

West Midlands Police spokeswoman Deb Edmonds said: "West Midlands Police were made aware of the covert video footage as the force supported the complainants in their subsequent successful civil prosecution.

"The force has viewed the footage, which was taken after the criminal proceedings.

"A meeting took place after the criminal justice proceedings were stayed, between the victims and the prosecuting counsel and at that time it was outlined to the victims that it was highly unlikely that we would be able to resurrect a criminal case.

"This was a key factor in the victims pursuing their successful civil case, which the force fully supported and provided material gathered during the criminal case."