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Home > News > Former pupils’ lawsuit against Treloar’s School reaches High Court Hearing regarding Group Litigation Order (GLO) due Wed 26th February

Former pupils’ lawsuit against Treloar’s School reaches High Court Hearing regarding Group Litigation Order (GLO) due Wed 26th February

Former pupils’ lawsuit against Treloar’s School reaches High Court Hearing regarding Group Litigation Order (GLO) due Wed 26th February

A group of former pupils of Treloar’s School in Hampshire, known as the ‘Treloar’s Boys’, will be at the London High Court on Wednesday 26th February to attend a hearing of their application for a Group Litigation Order (GLO) against the school.

Advised by Collins Solicitors, lead claimant Gary Webster is representing a class of some 36 former pupils (including Adrian Goodyear, Steve Nicholls, Richard Warwick, and families of those sadly deceased) in a claim for damages following their flawed and allegedly unlawful treatment at Treloar’s, a school for children with haemophilia, in the 70s and 80s.

Over 72 former Treloar’s pupils have now died having been infected with Hep A, B, C and/or HIV as a result of receiving contaminated Factor VIII and Factor IX based blood products as treatment for their haemophilia while at the school. Those still alive have suffered life-long ill health and life-affecting consequences, including physical and psychological harm.

The claim is being brought against the Trust governing the school and was filed in January 2022. See press release here. This week’s High Court permission hearing is expected to last one day and will be heard by The Senior Master.

Gary Webster, a pupil at the school between 1975 and 1983 years, comments: “We are bringing this case to hold Treloar’s School accountable for their failure to discharge their duty of care to pupils for whom they acted in loco parentis. The haemophilia treatment I and others received was given without our parents’ informed consent and the treatment risks were never explained to us or them. Those of us still alive have suffered life-long consequences and sadly, many of us are no longer here to join this challenge in person. Adrian, Richard, Steve and I are determined to see this fight through on behalf of all those who were wronged by the School’s actions.”

Richard Warwick, who was a pupil between 1976 and 1982, comments: “Treloar’s put research and experimentation above our individual medical best interests. We were vulnerable young boys treated as guinea pigs. There was no explanation, no compassion and no safeguarding. We suffered terribly then and have done so ever since.”

Adrian Goodyear, a pupil from 1980 to 1989, comments: “The fact this was avoidable only adds to our anguish. We owe it to our classmates to take this all the way until the School finally accepts liability for its part in this appalling tale.”

Steve Nicholls, a pupil from 1976 to 1984, comments: “It is our opinion that there are findings outlined in Sir Brian Langstaff’s Final Inquiry Report regarding the treatment of pupils at Lord Mayor Treloar College that have not yet been fully recognised by Government or the proposed compensation scheme.”

Des Collins, Senior Partner of Collins Solicitors, comments: “We heard extraordinary evidence during the Infected Blood Inquiry from various personnel at Treloar’s including a former headmaster, a former house master, and care staff and clinicians at the hospital attached to the school. The conclusions of Sir Brian Langstaff’s Final Report of last May confirmed the total abrogation of responsibility that went on. This had immense repercussions for my clients and they should be entitled to meaningful damages.”
If the case succeeds, any damages awarded will be separate to the Government funded payments to which the claimants are entitled under the general Infected Blood Compensation Scheme. However, the court will ensure that claimants do not receive duplicate compensation for their losses. The purpose of this GLO is to help the former Treloar’s pupils secure the overall damages to which they are entitled in the eyes of the law, given there will be a cap on statutory payments through the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme.

ENDS

MEDIA CONTACTS

The Treloar’s boys are available for media interviews and comments via: treloarsboys3@outlook.com

Media requests can also be made via Collins’ PR firm Bell Yard Communications
• Louise Beeson: Louise@bell-yard.com / Mob: 07768 956997
• Melanie Riley: Melanie@bell-yard.com / Mob: 07775 591244

Gary Webster and Adrian Goodyear are based in Hampshire, Steve Nicholls in Surrey and Richard Warwick in Yorkshire.

They will be available for interview in London on Tues 25th pm. There will also be a photo opportunity on Wed 26th Feb outside the High Court at 930am.
The claim goes by the name Gary James Webster & Others vs Treloar’s Trust and for further information about the claim filed in January 2022 see press release here https://collinslaw.co.uk/post.php?s=2022-01-24-former-treloars-pupils-seek-group-litigation-order-against-school-gary-james-webster-others-vs-treloars-trust-filed-at-londons-high-court

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