AN INVESTIGATION into allegations of child cruelty at a former Chepstow boarding school has widened its scope to include alleged sexual abuse after six more complainants came forward, police confirmed yesterday.

The Argus revealed last month that detectives from Gwent Police launched an investigation into allegations of cruelty committed against pupils at the Mount School.

Since we ran the story about The Mount, Gwent Police said a further six complainants have come forward, who allege both sexual and physical abuse while at the school. Nine new complaints are being investigated.

We reported last month how a police probe into the school, which was open from the 1950s until 1981, was reopened following a six-month investigation by the Argus alongside former pupil David Jeffs, 56. Mr Jeffs alleges he was a victim of non-sexual child abuse at the school.

Last December, we presented Gwent Police with a list of 11 former pupils who contacted us claiming cruelty at the school. Gwent Police confirmed last month that following this, three new complainants had come forward.

Since then, a further nine former pupils contacted us.

Alleged victims come from across Gwent and the West of England, claiming both physical and sexual abuse.

We urged all to phone Gwent Police and it has been confirmed that six of these have made complaints.

Gwent Police confirmed that they investigated an allegation made in October 2009 of alleged physical abuse at The Mount, Chepstow, during the 1960s, 1970s and until the school closed in 1981.

A file of evidence was presented to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in April 2010, but it was considered there was not enough evidence to proceed.

The CPS said: “Any decision to re-investigate these alleged offences would be a matter for Gwent Police. The CPS would of course consider any new file of evidence provided by the police in the normal way.”

Mr Jeffs is now in contact with more than 30 ex-pupils.

He said: “It is 40 years on and not a day goes by when I don’t think about my time there.”

Are you a former Mount school pupil?

THE Mount is a 200-year-old Merchant House with landscaped grounds overlooking Chepstow and the Wye Valley.

Since closing in 1981, it has been converted into four apartments which were put up for sale by developer Bovale in 2009.

As it was operated by the old Monmouthshire County Council which later became Gwent County Council, the current local authorities, formed in the 1990s, keep no records of the school.

A Gwent Police spokeswoman said that if you feel you have been a victim of a crime, either recently or historically, call the force on 101.

● Were you a pupil at the school? Please contact Chris Wood on 01633 777 251.