Stowmarket: Teacher Derek Cable’s child sex abuse victims seek damages

A SUFFOLK teacher and school band leader’s child sex victims are seeking substantial damages from the county council for the abuse they suffered.

Solicitors acting on behalf of the victims of Derek Cable, who ran Stowmarket School Concert Band, have sent a formal letter before action to the council.

Six men are understood to be involved in the civil compensation claim, which – if successful – could run into a six-figure sum.

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Cable, who was known as ‘Barney’ to pupils, preyed on schoolboys while he was employed as a music teacher at Stowmarket Middle School.

In September 2003, at the age of 63, he was jailed for four years after being convicted of 10 offences of indecent assault and eight of gross indecency against five boys.

The abuse occurred during the 1970s and 1980s while Cable, formerly of Edgecombe Road, Stowmarket, was music director and conductor of the school’s concert band, which he founded in 1961.

The band was highly-regarded and had toured the United Kingdom, Spain, France Germany and America.

Cable groomed his victims by plying them with cash, cigarettes and alcohol.

When his career ended he retired to Singapore. Cable returned to England in 2002 for a band reunion. However, this was a ruse set up by one of his victims as a way of getting him back into the UK. He was arrested at the reunion.

In 2006 at least two of Cable’s victims were offered £3,000 each in compensation from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.

At the time they said they would be refusing the money as they felt it was not enough for what they had been through, and would be seeking to take alternative action.

Cambridge-based solicitors Andrew Grove and Co is representing Cable’s victims in the compensation claim against SCC.

Mr Grove said: “We have sent a formal letter before action to the Suffolk County Council as the employer of Derek Cable.

“The Council have now appointed a Nottingham firm of solicitors to defend the claim.

“Our clients expect substantial compensation awards to reflect the seriousness of the sexual abuse they suffered whilst children and the psychological damage that has resulted.”

Mr Grove added a claim would shortly be issued in the county court on behalf of the group and appealed for witnesses or other victims to contact him on 01223 367133.

Suffolk County Council confirmed it was aware of the letter send by Andrew Grove and Co.

However, a spokeswoman for the council said; “A formal claim has been received and passed to our insurers and the case has now been referred to solicitors acting on our behalf. It would be inappropriate to comment further on the investigation at this stage.”

Source : eadt