Police investigate abuse claims at ballet school over claims from 10 years ago

Police have launched an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse at a top ballet schools, as it emerged a Scottish University raised “serious welfare” allegations nearly ten years ago.

An ITV News investigation heard last week from around 60 former pupils, parents and members of staff at Ballet West Scotland, in Taynuilt,

who raised concerns about teacher and vice principal Jonathan Barton, 38. The women have made allegations of Mr Barton’s inappropriate behaviour going back to 2004 and up to 2018.

Barton has resigned his position after the allegations emerged of sexual contact with teenage pupils at the £9,000 a year boarding school his family runs.

His mother, Gillian Barton, the school’s principal, has been suspended and the school has appointed a QC to oversee an internal probe.

Police Scotland said it had investigated allegations about “behaviour” at the school eight years ago but it concluded with no further action and “with no criminality established”.

The University of Highlands and Islands raised concerns with police in Oban in late 2011 about “student welfare” and “serious allegations”.

But Police Scotland confirmed on Wednesday that an investigation has been launched.

The University of Highlands and Islands closed dance courses delivered through Ballet West Scotland at the end of the academic year 2011-12. It is among three universities to have cut ties with Ballet West over sexual impropriety concerns.

It also emerged that the Open University (OU) ended its partnership with Ballet

West in December 2018 following “safeguarding concerns, including allegations of inappropriate sexual relations between students and a staff member”.

Ballet West said it was unaware of allegations of sexual contact between a student and teacher being raised by the OU.

The board of trustees said: “When these allegations were first brought to our attention, we contacted Police Scotland as soon as possible.

“The current board does not know of any allegation of sexual relations between students and a teacher being raised by the Open University.

“Correspondence from the Openuniversitytoballetwest stated that termination of the contract was on a no-fault basis.

A Police Scotland spokesman said: “Police have now received a number of reports which will be thoroughly investigated.”