Ex-pupils affected by infected blood scandal take legal action against Alton school
A group of former pupils affected by the infected blood scandal have launched a legal action against a Hampshire school.
Nearly 100 students at Lord Mayor Treloar School in Alton were infected with HIV and Hepatitis during haemophilia treatment in the 1970s and 80s.
More than 72 students died and many suffered lifelong ill health.
Senior partner Des Collins said: "We are bringing this action following new evidence heard last year at the Infected Blood Inquiry.
"The extraordinary testimonies of Treloar's former headmaster, house master, care staff and clinicians at the hospital attached to the school made clear a total abrogation of responsibility which has had immense repercussions for my clients.
"The harrowing stories from surviving pupils describing their suffering over the decades makes for deeply uncomfortable listening.
"Where were even the most basic of safeguards for these children when they were pumped full of blood products of clearly dubious origin? The school was acting in loco parentis, yet failed in its basic duty of care to these already vulnerable boys.
"We are determined that they receive recognition and due recompense for the trauma they and their families have suffered over decades, if they were fortunate enough to survive.
"This treatment tragedy must be exposed so that nothing like it can ever be allowed to happen again."
The proposed lead claimant, Gary Webster, 56, from Hampshire, said:
"Why didn't our headmaster or other teachers want to know what was being injected into pupils in their care at the time?
"No one at the school seemed to show the slightest curiosity over what treatment was being prescribed to us young kids nor, I now know, did they seek parental permission.
"It beggars belief. We have witnessed the deaths of so many friends while experiencing truly awful life-affecting consequences as a result of unnecessarily contracting these illnesses, is really difficult to comprehend and accept.
"We hope that by bringing this case such trauma can never happen to anyone else."
Treloar's said in a statement:
"We are truly saddened that around 100 of our former pupils are amongst the 4,500 men, women and children across the UK who were infected with hepatitis and/or HIV from infected blood products supplied within the NHS treatment programme.
"We are unable to comment on the legal action taken against Treloar's at this point, but we will continue to cooperate with the public inquiry into these issues and await its outcome."