‘As a kid, you don’t know what’s going on... now I just want other people to be aware’
Survivor of abuse at school shares his story
PHILIP Aindow is a former pupil from Formby High School and he is one of more than 40 people involved in a lawsuit being brought against Sefton Council over historic sexual abuse allegations.
The lawsuit has seen former pupils of Formby High School come forward claiming they suffered abuse by Ian Farquharson.
Farquharson was the head of the lower school and took his own life in 1992 after a complaint was made by the mother of a child.
Farquharson had been charged with inciting young boys to commit acts of gross indecency in 1980. Farquharson allegedly plied his pupils with lemonade after school hours and encouraged them to commit sex acts while he spied on them through a keyhole.
However, he was cleared of that charge at Crosby Magistrates’ Court, claiming the boys had “tried to get him into trouble” after he had to “discipline” them in the past.
He was allowed to carry on teaching when the case was dismissed, telling reporters he was glad his “ordeal” was over.
Farquharson received a complaint from a mum of a child in 1992. That very same day Farquharson got into his car, drove to an isolated spot near Mold in North Wales, and killed himself.
Philip, 57, has now opened up about the horrific claims from when he was a teenager in the late 1970s.
He said: “He would ask for volunteers to do the Blue Peter stamp appeal and he put you in a store room in one of the classrooms but he would give you a big bottle of pop.
“It was like ‘oh great, a big bottle of pop’ and after a while, you wanted to go to the toilet. He wouldn’t let you go and I would always think ‘why?’.”
Philip said Farquharson would then ask him to perform a sex act: “As a kid, you don’t know what’s going on. I didn’t know if other kids did that. Every time you did the stamp collection he would do that.
“My mum went ballistic and we then went to court. You don’t think like that when you’re a kid though. When we went to court I didn’t think about the effect it had. I never really got any help. It affected me academically.”
Philip, who now works in the Army and lives in Southport, is hoping to encourage others to come forward, whether it’s those who claim to have been victims of Farquharson or whether it is another incident.
He added: “Now I just want people to be aware.
“In my generation, you were brought up to trust these types of people in authority. They were people in positions of trust. Who can you trust in the end?
“By doing this interview I hope it
Philip Aindow helps people in the same type of situation, things like this still go on. I want to help.”
Farquharson’s inquest in July 1992 heard he had returned from school to his home in Ashdale Close, Formby, looking agitated according to a neighbour, before driving away.
The court heard he had been summoned to the headteacher’s study and an investigation into his conduct had been launched by education chiefs.
Initially, six survivors came forward in March last year after they saw a video on Facebook by child abuse survivor and well-known UK bodybuilder Aarron Lambo. That number has since increased to 41.
Andrew Grove and Company solicitors claim to have followed a number of leads, including the person who discovered Mr Farquharson dead in Mold, North Wales.
Solicitor at the firm Katherine Yates believes there are more victims and witnesses out there.
She said: “From our investigations, I have discovered that Mr Farquharson was abusing pupils at Formby High School for over 15 years.
“I know that there are more witnesses out there and would urge anyone with any relevant information, no matter how insignificant they think it might be, to contact us.
“It is also not too late for anyone to join the civil lawsuit. We are here to get justice for those who were assaulted by Mr Farquharson. All claims are being funded on a no-win, no-fee basis so there’s no cost involved.”
Solicitors with conduct are Katherine Yates and Charlotte Denley and both can be contacted for further information on 01223 367133 or by email at katherine@andrewgroveandco.com or charlotte@andrewgroveandco.com.