Late politician: Cyril Smith, who died in 2010, was the subject of various sex abuse allegations and investigations over decades during his career

A former teacher yesterday became the first person to be charged with historical sex abuse at a residential school where the late Cyril Smith is said to have preyed on boys.

David Higgins is accused of sexually abusing two boys aged between 11 and 15 at Knowl View school in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, between 1969 and 1971.

The 76-year-old – whose address was given by police as Rye Hill Prison in Warwickshire where he is serving a sentence for an earlier conviction - faces 18 counts of indecent assault and one of attempted indecent assault.

Police launched an investigation dubbed Operation Jaguar after claims that the heavyweight Liberal politician used his status to sexually abuse boys at Knowl View with impunity.

Detectives identified 27 potential suspects and 16 alleged victims from the 1960s to the 1990s, but Higgins is the first person to face charges, with all but one of the remaining files now closed.

He is due to appear at Bury Magistrates’ Court via video-link on May 4 to face allegations of 18 counts of indecent assault and one count of attempted indecent assault.

Smith, who died in 2010, was the subject of various sex abuse allegations and investigations over decades during his career, first as a prominent local councillor in Rochdale and later as the town’s Liberal MP.

He was a governor of the school for vulnerable boys for 20 years, with former residents telling how they would be ‘summoned’ from their dormitories when they were as young as eight to perform sex acts on the 29-stone politician.

However he never faced charges despite 144 complaints by victims, according to his successor Simon Danczuk’s book, Smile For The Camera: The Double Life Of Cyril Smith, which was serialised in the Daily Mail.

Claims: Smith never faced charges despite 144 complaints by victims, according to a book by his successor Simon Danczuk (pictured)

Police are still investigating claims of corruption by officers and local politicians as part of an alleged cover-up into abuse at Knowl View.

Claims by former residents of both Knowl View and Cambridge House Boys’ hostel, also in Rochdale, are also being examined by Justice Lowell Goddard’s five-year inquiry into sexual abuse.

In relation to Operation Jaguar, Greater Manchester Police said it had submitted 13 files to the Crown Prosecution Service containing multiple allegations of both physical and sexual offences involving 27 suspects and 16 alleged victims.

It is understood that just one of the 13 files submitted remains under review.

Assistant Chief Constable Robert Potts said: ‘Investigations into allegations of historical sexual and physical abuse are by their very nature extremely complex and protracted inquiries.

‘These investigations are managed with the utmost sensitivity and files of evidence are put together by officers before being discussed and considered with the Crown Prosecution Service.’

Claire Lindley, Chief Crown Prosecutor for North West England, said: ‘We have carefully considered the evidence gathered by police in connection with their investigations into alleged abuse at Knowl View residential school for boys.