Heartwarming Penguin Tale Overshadowed by Dark Allegations
The inspiring story of a teacher rescuing an oil-covered penguin that became both a bestselling book and major film has been clouded by disturbing historical abuse allegations against its author. The Penguin Lessons, currently streaming as a feelgood movie starring Steve Coogan, tells the true story of Mike Thompson's experiences teaching in Argentina during the 1970s.
However, former pupils from Thompson's earlier teaching position at The Old Malthouse boarding school in Dorset have come forward with allegations of sexual abuse during the same period the book describes. The claims have prompted a police investigation and cast a shadow over the film's release.
Former Pupil's Harrowing Account
Graham Jones, now in his 50s, alleges that Thompson sexually abused him over several months when he was just 12 years old. The abuse allegedly took place in the school's science laboratory, often with lights off and the room closed to others.
"For a very long time I didn't realise I'd been abused," Graham told the Daily Mail. "I had no moral compass to know that what happened was inappropriate or wrong."
Graham describes Thompson as a "James Bond" figure who stood out at the remote boarding school. The teacher drove an Aston Martin DB6 and owned a yacht, making him an object of admiration among the young boys.
The alleged grooming process began with Thompson showing pupils sexually explicit material, including pornography disguised as academic material. Graham believes he was asked to perform sexual acts on his teacher, with other boys sometimes present in the room.
Police Investigation and Denials
Graham first reported the allegations to police in 2017, prompting an interview with Thompson accompanied by his lawyer. No charges were brought at the time, but police indicated the matter would appear on enhanced pre-employment checks.
The situation escalated dramatically this year when promotional materials for The Penguin Lessons film began appearing in Graham's hometown. Seeing his former teacher celebrating on red carpets and participating in television interviews proved overwhelming.
"Everything about it was wrong," Graham says. "There he is, looking pleased as punch, joking with actors and being celebrated on national television as this eccentric old Englishman. And all the time he had this secret."
Following a Channel 4 News report featuring Graham and two other former pupils making similar allegations, three additional former students contacted the programme with new claims. Another allegation emerged from Truro School in Cornwall where Thompson later taught.
In a statement, Mike Thompson vehemently denied all allegations: "These deplorable claims are without substance and emphatically denied. A version of [Graham's] false story was dismissed by the police in 2017. If these individuals were abused 50 years ago, they have my sympathy, but it was not me who was responsible."
Boarding School Environment
The Old Malthouse School, which closed in 2007, was described as remote and insular even by boarding school standards. Founded in 1906 in Langton Matravers, Dorset, it educated around 100 boys aged eight to thirteen.
Graham remembers the school's isolation vividly: "It was a long way from anywhere, especially your parents. On Sundays after lunch we were kicked off the premises and told not to come back until dark. So eight or nine-year-olds were swimming in the sea unaccompanied."
This environment, Graham believes, made children particularly vulnerable to exploitation. Without everyday contact with parents and limited understanding of boundaries, pupils lacked the framework to recognise inappropriate behaviour.
Film's Success Overshadowed
The Penguin Lessons film has been released to significant fanfare, with Thompson credited as executive producer and appearing alongside Steve Coogan at the premiere. The book and film recount how Thompson rescued a Magellanic penguin from an oil spill in Uruguay and smuggled it back to Buenos Aires.
While the book used the pen name Tom Michell, the film reimagines the author as an eccentric middle-aged English teacher played by Coogan. Thompson's real identity and his teaching background at The Old Malthouse have now become central to the abuse allegations.
Dorset Police confirmed: "We can confirm we are carrying out an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse at the Old Malthouse School in Dorset in the 1970s."
Penguin Random House, publishers of The Penguin Lessons, stated they were "shocked and surprised" by the allegations and had not been aware of them previously.
The case continues to develop as more former pupils come forward, ensuring that what began as a heartwarming animal rescue story has become entangled with much darker questions about historical abuse in Britain's boarding school system.
