A trial against six former teachers and staff of Rhydd Court School in Malvern, Worcestershire began in August 2024
A ‘house mother’ at a boys’ boarding school who was accused of child cruelty and sexually attacking a child has been cleared.
Marie Handy was one of six former teachers and staff at Rhydd Court School in Malvern, Worcestershire, who went on trial at Birmingham Crown Court last August.
Broadly, the case concerned allegations of cruelty as well as physical and sexual assault and abuse of pupils at the school between the late 1970s and 1991.
Ms Handy, aged 53 and from Gloucestershire was a ‘house mother’ at the school and faced a count of conspiracy to commit child cruelty – jointly with her five co-defendants – and a separate charge of indecent assault on a male.
Today, Monday, March 3 she was formally declared not guilty of both offences.
Judge Richard Bond directed the jury to find Ms Handy not guilty of both charges.
He said: “She is discharged with her good character intact.”