Rochdale hires 1COR and Hempsons lawyers for Knowl View investigation

Rochdale Borough Council has hired lawyers from 1 Crown Office Row and law firm Hempsons after expanding the formal investigation into its decision-making in relation to a school that is at the centre of allegations of historic child abuse over four decades.

The local authority had instructed Andrew Warnock QC of 1 Chancery Lane in January this year to carry out the review of its decision-making over Knowl View School, a residential school for boys that closed in 1992.

In a statement issued today (28 April), Rochdale said considerable progress had been made in terms of collating and analysing documentation and identifying potential witnesses.

“However, in light of the serious allegations made in the last few weeks, we have decided, in consultation with Mr Warnock, that we now need to widen the scope of the review beyond the council’s decision making,” the council said.

“It is clear that to ensure there is public confidence in the thoroughness of the review we must widen its scope to include a review of all information available to the council.”

The council continued: “We will therefore need to allocate substantially more resources and more time to enable a thorough review to be conducted. Of course, any evidence obtained which is relevant to allegations of criminal activity will be forwarded to Greater Manchester Police.”

With Warnock unavailable for the revised timescale for the expanded investigation because of other work commitments, Rochdale has appointed Neil Garnham QC of 1 Crown Office Row to lead the review.

Garnham will be supported by barristers Alastair Henderson and Lois Williams, also of 1 Crown Office Row.

Katherine Sheldrick of Hempsons has been appointed as independent solicitor to the review. Jennifer Moss, a principal solicitor at Rochdale, has been seconded for the duration of the investigation.

Garnham is expected to provide a report by end of July. “The report may be final or interim depending on the conclusions he is able to reach,” the council said, adding that it would publish the report as soon as possible after it is delivered.

It added: “We have asked Mr Garnham to liaise with Greater Manchester Police to ensure that his review does not compromise any element of the current investigations being pursued by the police.”