Birmingham Sex Abuse Teacher's Victims Take Legal Action

5 August 2015, 10:36 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

Victims of a former Birmingham teacher who carried out a series of sex attacks are taking legal action against a local authority.

Victims of a former Birmingham teacher who carried out a series of sex attacks are taking legal action against a local authority.

Marcus Marcussen, 91, was jailed earlier this year for abusing boys at a comprehensive school in Birmingham between 1957 and 1978, with the attacks described as being ``tinged with sadism'' by the judge.

Twenty victims have now come forward to start legal action against Birmingham City Council, according to the law firm Irwin Mitchell which is representing them.

The retired PE teacher and youth club volunteer, from Rochford, near Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire, was convicted of 25 counts of indecent assault in February after a three-week trial. He was sentenced to nine years in prison.

Detectives arrested Marcussen, who used a whale bone to strike and intimidate pupils, after a victim reported the historical abuse in 2012.

It emerged the teacher had forced boys to use a swimming pool while naked, and had abused others at a youth club and in a shower block.

Raman Dhillon, the solicitor representing the victims, said: ``All of those we act for are men in their 50s who have been forced to live for most of their lives with the pain and trauma of the abuse they endured at the hands of Marcussen.

``This has had a massive impact on their lives and we have heard first-hand accounts on how victims have endured breakdowns, struggled to trust others, stay in long-term relationships and even attempted suicide due to the lasting effects of their trauma.''

Birmingham City Council confirmed it had received claims relating to the Marcussen case and is investigating.