Home Secretary Theresa May rules out public inquiry into child abuse allegations at Wolverhampton school

Theresa May told alleged victims Andrew Wood and Mark Shelton that the national inquiry headed by New Zealand judge Justice Lowell Goddard is the best option for the men who allege they were sexually abused by the independent school's former headmaster Colin Cope in the 70s.

Mrs May met with the two men in Wolverhampton as part of a visit to the city with MP Paul Uppal.

She spent nearly 45 minutes discussing the case which is currently being reviewed by the Crown Prosecution Service.

Mr Cope denies the allegations.

The two men had previously called for a local inquiry to be held to look into the case.

Mr Wood, who now lives in Hereford, said: "We are both extremely grateful to the Home Secretary for her time and for her interest. We are also thankful to Paul Uppal who arranged the meeting and is helping us seek justice. She told us the national inquiry had been given stronger powers and that we both should register to take part, which is what we will do."

Prosecutors are examining secretly-recorded footage which shows Mr Cope joking and reciting poetry at a public talk just months after his trial was halted on health ground.s

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, and Mark Shelton, 57, of Shifnal, went to the independent boys' school in the early 70s and accuse the former lower school headmaster Mr Colin Cope – now 84 – of sexually abusing them. They have waived their right to anonymity to speak out about the case.

The video footage shows Mr 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 by Judge Robin Onions because he deemed the defendant was 'too ill'.

Cope was charged with 11 offences on five boys.

Mr Uppal said he will be writing to West Midlands Chief Constable Chris Sims over the case.

He said: "After meeting with Andrew and Mark I was keen to help and that is why I wanted to set up a meeting with the Home Secretary."

Justice Goddard will lead the Independent Panel Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse with the power to compel witnesses to give evidence.

The current panel, which has seen Baroness Butler-Sloss and Dame Fiona Woolf stand down as chairman because of Establishment links, will be disbanded and replaced by a new panel.

The inquiry will consider whether, and the extent to which, public bodies and other important institutions have taken seriously their duty of care to protect children from sexual abuse.

It will seek to address public concern over failings exposed by appalling cases of organised and persistent child sexual abuse and cover cases back to 1945.