CPS prosecutes three people following BBC documentary about abuse at school

The Crown Prosecution Service has successfully prosecuted three men after a BBC Panorama programme revealed bullying and assaults on pupils at a school.

The Life school in New Brighton, Wirral, was a private alternative educational provision for children with special educational needs such as autism and ADHD, with a sports focus.

An undercover reporter from Panorama was employed as a staff member at the school for around seven weeks from March to May 2024.

The reporter managed to covertly record several incidents at the school which resulted in the programme, “Panorama: Cruelty in the classroom", which was televised on 17 June 2024.

The documentary triggered a police investigation and three people were arrested and charged.

Elliot Millar, 22, pleaded guilty to five charges, including common assault, assault by beating and using threatening words, likely to cause alarm or distress, at Sefton Magistrates on 18 November 2024. He was jailed for 12 weeks.

The Judge at the hearing described Millar’s treatment of some of the pupils at the school as “cruel bullying”, “gratuitous degradation” and an abuse of trust.

Daniel McNulty-Doyle, 22, was employed as a wellbeing coach at the school and had worked there since October 2022.

He was found guilty after a trial at Sefton Magistrates’ Court on 27 March 2024 of using threatening, abusive behaviour, likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress. He was convicted after a full trial on 27 March 2025. This offence is punishable by a fine only and he was fined £250, with £50 compensation to the victim.

Oliver Nugent, 27, pleaded guilty to assault by beating and was sentenced to 12 weeks' imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, on 29 April, 2025 at Sefton Magistrates’ Court.

Victim Personal Statements to the court highlighted the impact of the offending on the pupils and their families.

The defendants all claimed to have had a lack of training for their roles and claimed much of the alleged threatening behaviour as “banter”.

Senior Crown Prosecutor Matthew Dixon, of CPS Mersey-Cheshire, said: “Life School was offering educational provision for students with additional needs.

“That should have ensured high levels of care and support but instead, these three men, betrayed that trust. They exploited the vulnerabilities of the pupils for their own entertainment.

“No doubt, if this behaviour had not been caught on camera by the undercover reporter, this treatment of the pupils by these men would have continued.

“Thankfully, the footage captured by the reporter and the evidence gathered by Merseyside police during the investigation helped us to bring all three men to justice. The CPS would like to thank the victims and their families for supporting the prosecution.”