Labour MP describes 'horrific' assault by school bullies who thought he was gay

Chris Elmore needed facial reconstruction surgery after he was set upon by seven school friends when he was 17

Chris Elmore (PA Archive/PA Images)

A Labour MP has told how he was hospitalised and suffered a breakdown after being "horrifically assaulted" by a gang of school bullies who thought he was gay.

Chris Elmore, MP for Ogmore, said he needed mental health support several times and required facial reconstruction surgery following the vicious attack by seven school friends when he was 17-years-old.

Speaking during a Commons debate on sexual harassment and violence in schools, Mr Elmore warned that bullying in schools could leave "lasting scars" on young people's mental health.

He said: "I speak as someone who was never sexually assaulted in school but I was horrifically assaulted in school to the point where I was hospitalised several times, received mental health support for what would be considered a breakdown at the age of 14, at the age of 16, and at the age of 17.

"So I know all too well the horrors of being attacked for supposedly, as it would happen being a homosexual, to which I am not.

"And if I was, so what? But that was the rationale for me being attacked to the point where I was finally assaulted and hospitalised at the age of 17 that involved minor reconstruction to part of my face because I was assaulted in a friend's home by seven school friends based on the premise that I was...a gayer, and therefore I deserved the attacks that I received as a 17-year-old boy."

Education minister Anne Milton noted Mr Elmore was hugged by his Labour colleague Stella Creasy after his speech, adding: "In my view you bravely mentioned your horrific experiences, and you not only deserve a hug but our respect for having done so."

It came as MPs warned that schools needed to do more to tackle sexual harassment and abuse among pupils, amid reports that young girls were being forced to remain in the same classes as peers who had raped or sexual assaulted them.

Maria Miller, chair of the Women and Equalities Select Committee, said the prevalence of technology meant two in three 15-year-olds and one in four 10-year-olds had seen online pornography, which warped their perspective on relationships.

She called for curbs on online media which is "fuelling the sort of sexual harassment and sexually abusive behaviour that is becoming so prevalent in our schools."

Ms Miller also raised evidence from parents contained in a recent report by the committee, including shocking testimony from one parent whose six-year-old daughter was raped at school by a male classmate.

She cited another parent whose daughter was also raped at school, who described girls as young as 12 "encouraging each other to sext their peer group" and "being encouraged to have anal sex by their classmates".

Ms Miller added: "His observation as a father? They have no idea they're experiencing sexual abuse if their first frame of reference is viewing extreme pornography, then spanking and being given a dog collar to wear around their neck is not out of the norm."