Men arrested over child cruelty allegations at SEND school

Three men have been arrested over allegations of child cruelty at an independent school for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

A 43-year-old man from Meols, a 21-year-old man from Wallasey and a 26-year-old man from Irby had been held on suspicion of child cruelty, Merseyside Police said.

The trio had been taken into custody to be interviewed and enquiries were ongoing, the force added.

Last year, Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council paid the Life Wirral school nearly £1m.

Places at the school for secondary school age children cost between £50,000 and £150,000 a year per child, depending on the support they need.

Wirral Council has paid out more than £2.2m in total since the school opened in 2021.

The school is rated as "good" by Ofsted inspectors.

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