Former Pupil Reveals Hope For Justice ‘After Years Of Suffering In Silence’

Lawyers who specialise in helping abuse victims gain justice regarding the ordeals they have faced have been instructed to act for a woman who suffered at the hands of a former Nottingham teacher recently convicted of abusing pupils.

Roger Caffrey, who is now 72, was dismissed from Northgate Primary School in Old Basford in the 1980s following an allegation of abuse but when insufficient evidence was gathered he went on to be employed at Westdale Primary School in Mapperley.

Last year he was sentenced to 17 years for abusing children at Northgate, with the trial then encouraging victims from Westdale to come forward. Following the emergence of the fresh allegations, his sentence was extended by a further 10 months.

Now the criminal case has concluded, specialist abuse lawyers at Irwin Mitchell have been instructed to launch civil legal action on behalf of one of Caffrey’s victims in order to help her secure vital funds which will mean she can get the support she needs to try and come to terms with the historical abuse.

Neerali Madhvani, the Solicitor at Irwin Mitchell who is representing the victim, said: 

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“High profile abuse cases involving Savile or other celebrities have encouraged many people who have suffered historical abuse to come forward in recent years, with such victims often feeling confident that their claims will now be treated both sensitively and seriously.

“This is another shocking case where a teacher abused his position of trust and in the process has devastated the lives of those he targeted.

“Following our instruction, we have begun our own investigations into the case and are determined to ensure that our client will get the justice she deserves after everything she has faced. It is also vital that lessons can be learned from these cases of historical abuse so that no one else faces such terrible ordeals in the future.” Neerali Madhvani - Solicitor

Irwin Mitchell’s client – who wishes not to be named – is now in her 30s and was abused by Caffrey when she was a pupil in his class in the late 1980s. As well as being touched inappropriately at school and in class, she was also abused when she visited his house as part of preparation for a forthcoming school trip.

She said: “The abuse I suffered has ruined my life, yet I suffered in silence for years as I simply felt that I would not be believed. It led me to have nightmares and made me never want to go to school, while I even began lying and stealing too.

“It was only when I was 22 that it was able to tell my mother and grandmother about what I had been through and I had just assumed that he might have been dead by that point. However, when I saw news that he had been charged with abuse I knew I had to get in touch with the police.

“While the criminal case was an important step forward, I am hopeful that the civil case will help me move towards getting some closure on what I have faced and allow me to finally move on with my life.”

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