In a disturbing turn of events, a former teacher at Richmond Lodge School in South Belfast has been accused of sexually assaulting six teenage girls between 1974 and 1979. The mother of one of the alleged victims has come forward, shedding light on the school’s troubling response to the reported incident.
According to the mother, who is in her 90s, her daughter, then around 13 years old, rushed out of school one day, visibly distressed and in tears. The daughter then revealed that she had been sexually assaulted by the teacher in a French stationery cupboard, after he had asked her for help finding a history book.
The mother and her late husband, who was “absolutely raging,” immediately reported the incident to the school’s headmistress. However, the woman claims the headmistress had a “very impassive face” and was “very keen nothing should be done” about the allegation.
The defence barrister questioned the mother about the meeting with the headmistress, and she expressed her shock at the school’s seemingly indifferent response. “I was really quite amazed about it, she took it terribly calmly,” the mother said.
The 77-year-old accused, William Lloyd-Lavery of Lisburn, has denied the nine counts of indecent assault and two further counts of gross indecency. The trial is ongoing, and the jury has been played the video interview with the mother of one of the complainants.
The mother also revealed that the accused teacher was later appointed as her daughter’s history teacher the following year, despite their efforts to have her transferred to a different school. The daughter reportedly tried to protect herself by “putting desks around her,” but the teacher “never touched her again” after the initial incident.
This case has undoubtedly raised serious questions about the school’s handling of the allegations and the wellbeing of the students entrusted to its care. As the trial continues, the public will be watching closely to see if justice is served for the victims and their families.