Video holds key to former Wolverhampton headteacher sex case decision
Police have concluded a review into secret video footage of a former headmaster accused of child sex crimes joking and reciting poetry at a public talk just months after his trial was halted on health grounds, the Express & Star understands.
A special unit of the Crown Prosecution Service has now been handed files from West Midlands Police after the footage of former Tettenhall College headmaster Colin Cope emerged.
It will be up to prosecutors to decide whether an application should be made to the Court of Appeal to resurrect the case.
Andrew Wood, aged 56, of Hereford and Mark Shelton, 57, of Shifnal, went to the independent boys' school in the early 70s and accuse the former lower school headmaster Colin Cope – now 83 – of sexually abusing them.
They have waived their right to anonymity to speak out about the case.
The video footage shows Cope driving his car, carrying a table and climbing steep stairs while giving paying visitors a guided tour of his 18th-century National Trust home just eight months after the court case against him at Shrewsbury Crown Court in 2009 was halted because he was 'too ill'.
Mr Wood said: "We are told that specialist prosecutors will now look at the review and make a decision whether to make an application to the Court of Appeal. We seem to have made more progress in the last six weeks than in the last six years."
Mr Wood and Mr Shelton are also calling for a public inquiry into the extent of the alleged abuse at the school public.
The move has been backed by Wolverhampton South West MP Paul Uppal.
Cope, who now lives in Sturminster Marshall, Dorset, was charged with 11 sexual offences against children aged 11 to 13.
But a jury at Shrewsbury Crown Court never got to hear any of the evidence because Judge Robin Onions stayed the case on Cope's health grounds and ruled the long passage of time – more than 35 years – since the offences were said to have taken place, created difficulties for the defendant to challenge the prosecution case. Cope denied any wrongdoing.
The Express & Star previously revealed the allegations were likely to be looked at by the independent child sex abuse inquiry set up by the Government. But it looks like Home Secretary Theresa May could scrap the inquiry as the Home Office struggles to get off the ground after the resignation of two chairmen.
Tettenhall College paid £129,000 to settle civil action by five former pupils, including Mr Wood and Mr Shelton.
They received payments ranging from £5,000 to £60,000 when they agreed to settle the claim against the school. Liability was not admitted by the school. The school stresses the allegations date back more than 40 years. In a statement the school said: "We would like to add that Tettenhall College would fully cooperate with any further inquiries arising."
