Ex-pupils claim Christian Brothers abuse spanning three decades

Merseyside Police said allegations of physical abuse by some staff at the school were investigated in 2018.

The Crown Prosecution Service has been contacted by the BBC.

In 1998, the Christian Brothers issued an unprecedented public apology for abuse inflicted over the years across its various institutions.

The Christian Brothers said: “The congregation of Christian Brothers is aware of the allegations being made by a number of ex-pupils of St Mary’s College and The Mount Prep School in Crosby.

“In view of the prospective legal actions arising from these allegations, it is not possible or appropriate to comment on individual details except to say the congregation takes all allegations of abuse seriously and sincerely regrets any and all forms of abuse that may have been committed on anyone who attended St Mary’s or The Mount.”

A St Mary’s College spokesperson said: “We are saddened to hear of these serious allegations and the former pupils who have made them have our sympathy and support.

“However, because the alleged events date from well before 2006, when the management of St Mary’s was transferred from the Christian Brothers to a new separate charitable trust, it is very difficult for those of us who run the college today to make any informed comment.

“Clearly staff from the period in question have long since left and in many cases may no longer be alive, and in the intervening period the culture of the college has changed beyond all recognition, as it has in schools in general over the past half a century or so.

They added: “We are not currently aware of any police involvement, but if an investigation ensues we would of course give officers any assistance they might need.”