Man charged with abusing boys at school linked to late MP Cyril Smith

Late Rochdale Liberal MP Cyril Smith was a governor at Knowl View school

David Higgins, 76, of HMP Rye Hill, is accused of sexually abusing two boys aged between 11 and 15 at the Knowl View school in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, between 1969 and 1971.
SHARE

Higgins is due to appear at Bury Magistrates' Court via video-link on May 4 to face allegations of 18 counts of indecent assault and one count of attempted indecent assault.

An investigation was set up by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) following reports of both physical and sexual abuse said to have taken place at Knowl View from 1969 until it closed in 1995.

The launch of Operation Jaguar came in the wake of another probe by GMP into numerous complaints of sexual abuse made against Smith, who was a governor at Knowl View.

Smith, who died in 2010, was the subject of various sex abuse allegations and investigations over decades during his career, first as a prominent local councillor in Rochdale and later as the town's Liberal MP. He was never prosecuted.  (more...)

Man charged with abusing boys at school linked to late MP Cyril Smith

More coverage:

Man charged after investigation into alleged child abuse at Knowl View school

Man charged with indecent assaults on boys in Rochdale

Former teacher becomes the first person to be charged with historic sex abuse at a school where Cyril Smith 'preyed on boys'