He was once the poster boy of GB's Paralympics football team until a sickening video emerged Oliver Nugent had dreams of becoming a professional footballer but an undercover reporter's video put his name in the press for the wrong reasons Former Life Wirral staff member Oliver Nugent (Image: BBC Panorama ) A former poster boy for GB's Paralympic football team in Rio was exposed as an "arrogant and mocking" sports coach who put a child into a headlock. Oliver Nugent, who has cerebral palsy following a stroke at birth, was selected as part of the 14-man squad who finished fifth at the 2016 edition of the games. Local press at the time gave the then Birkenhead Sixth Form College student extensive coverage at the time, documenting the teenager's career from the books of Tranmere Rovers to leading Chester FC to a North West Youth Alliance Premier Division title. Speaking ahead of journeying to Rio, Nugent said: "I definitely have the hope of becoming a professional footballer and if I do then I think I’ll be the first person with cerebral palsy to do that." ‌ But fast forward eight years and Nugent was again in the headlines - but this time for the wrong reasons. Nugent, employed as a sports coach at the Life school in New Brighton, was one of number of a employees covertly recorded at the school by an undercover reporter, which resulted in the programme "Panorama: Cruelty in the classroom", televised on June 17 2024. ‌ The undercover reporter was employed as a staff member at the school - a private alternative educational provision for children with special educational needs such as autism and ADHD - for around seven weeks from March to May 2024. The documentary triggered a police investigation and three people, including Nugent, were arrested and charged. This week shamed Nugent walked free from court. The ECHO has taken a closer look at how the one-time poster boy of Paralympic football here in the north west and how the now shamed sports coach betrayed those he was responsible for. Nugent's parents were told of the challenges he would face after his early health struggles. But the Wirral-born boy was walking at ten months and joined Tranmere when he was eight years old. No stranger to tackling adversity - no doubt aided by supportive coaches throughout his childhood - he flourished, and by his late teens he helped the England cerebral palsy team to fifth at the World Championships held on home soil. Article continues below Oliver Nugent, pictured in 2016 after his Rio Paralympics call up He made his senior debut for Chester in 2016 when he came off the bench in a 3-0 win over Hyde United in the Cheshire Senior Cup. Speaking to CheshireLive, he said he was considering football scholarships across the Atlantic with the possibility of attending a university in the States. Speaking about his pride in his selection in the Paralympics, he said the team were aiming for a minimum of a third place finish, with anything under fourth place "a disappointment for us". Following the team's fifth place finish, he returned back to the UK and, over the following years, had spells at a number of non-league teams in the north west including Vauxhall Motors, Flint Town, Litherland and Prescot Cables. ‌ At some point he began working as a sports coach at Life Wirral alongside his football career. But his coaching career was left in tatters after an undercover reporter filmed his actions while looking after the children with special educational needs. Nugent's role saw him help initiate the reporter, posing as a new member of staff, into the ways of the school. Oliver Nugent (left) pictured with other members of the GB Paralympic team As well as the eventual documentary, the BBC also provided a number of pieces of raw footage to Merseyside Police. One such clip captured Nugent leading a sports session with pupils at Leasowe Recreation Centre. The film showed Nugent put one student into a headlock, taking him to the floor and briefly holding him down by his neck. ‌ In the documentary, the reporter describes the event, saying: "Ollie gets a child in a headlock, drags him to the floor, holding him down by his neck". The boy, clearly in pain, can be seen clutching his ankle. The reporter adds: "This kind of behaviour happens so often it's seen as normal." In a statement later provided to the court, the boy's mum said: "As a parent, witnessing my son's trauma and distress has been heartbreaking. He already has massive mistrust of adults. The idea of engaging with unfamiliar people now seems impossible to him. Everything resembling school or learning causes overwhelming anxiety. He spends much of his time isolated in his bedroom. "It has taken a toll on the entire family, leaving us feeling helpless. I feel like I should have known that this abuse was happening. Justice for my son will be to know that this was not ok and that he can always speak up about anything he feels is wrong. Hopefully, no other children will have to suffer." ‌ Oliver Nugent captured on BBC Panorama's secret camera (Image: BBC Panorama ) When he appeared in court, Nugent's counsel told the court: "Anybody who has seen the documentary that footage comes from will be aware of the entirely toxic atmosphere that operated in the establishment where the complainant in this matter was a registered pupil. That toxicity, I suggest, radiated from the top down. "Mr Nugent found it a very difficult environment to work in. When offered the opportunity to work at the establishment he grasped it with both hands, little knowing what he was entering into. He accepts and acknowledges that his behaviour was inappropriate. He accepts that it is not appropriate for someone in a position of authority to place their hands upon someone in their care. ‌ "Over a period of time, it seems as if taking an authoritative stance over the young people in the establishment did not often resolve behaviour, whereas a little bit of banter did. It must be accepted that what went on that day went over and above rough housing, and it is accepted by the defendant. "This is a single incident. There is a backdrop to this. He is not a gentleman who has previous convictions or anything which indicates that he is somebody who generally perpetuates violence upon other people. Any aspirations he had in the industry he was in are likely to come to an end, given this particular conviction." Sentencing Nugent, District Judge James Hatton said: "Each case in the context of this wider investigation stands and falls on its own individual set of circumstances. Just because somebody has been assessed by the court to be required to be sent to custody immediately and just because somebody else has been dealt with by a financial penalty, it does not impact on the way that I will deal with you this afternoon. ‌ "You have never been in trouble before. You, like many other people employed by the establishment, were awfully unsuitable for the role. I suspect, because of the lack of appropriate training given, that there was mismanagement across the board at the top of the school and that has permeated down to the staff, the day to day running of the school and the children who were supposed to be being cared for. "There was a focus on the commercial aspect at the top of the school rather than any duty of care to any pupil. Individuals, both those who have been prosecuted and those who have not, demonstrated elements of behaviour which is unsuitable around children and which was abusive, loutish and immature. "You have displayed an awful lack of judgement. You failed him very badly, because your response was not to deal with it appropriately. Your response was to apply violence in a situation where he was being schooled. ‌ "That was down to your arrogance, inexperience, unkindness and unsuitability for the role. You have caused more than minor psychological harm to him as a result of your behaviour. It is aggravated by the fact that you were in a position of power, and there was an abuse of trust. "This is one incident in terms of your criminality. It was short lived. I take the view that there are other positive features of your character which would mitigate against that sentence being needed to be served immediately." Elliot Millar assaulted pupils at Life Wirral special school (Image: Merseyside Police ) ‌ Nugent, who admitted one count of assault by beating, was handed a 12 week sentence, suspended for a year. He was also told to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 25 days. Nugent will be required to pay £450 in court costs, £200 of compensation and a £154 victim surcharge within the next 56 days. Two other members of staff were previously sentenced in connection with the Panorama investigation. Elliot Millar, aged 22 and of Bradman Close in Liscard, admitted four counts of assault and using threatening behaviour and was jailed for 12 weeks while Daniel McNulty-Doyle, also 22 and of Rockfarm Grove in Little Neston, was found guilty of using threatening behaviour and was fined £250 and told to pay £50 in compensation to his victim. Senior Crown Prosecution Service prosecutor Matthew Dixon said: "Life School was offering educational provision for students with additional needs. That should have ensured high levels of care and support but instead, these three men betrayed that trust. They exploited the vulnerabilities of the pupils for their own entertainment. No doubt, if this behaviour had not been caught on camera by the undercover reporter, this treatment of the pupils by these men would have continued." Article continues below Following the documentary's release, a number of businesses linked with the school's boss Alastair Saverimutto have since been wound up. According to Companies House, She (Sports, Health and Education) C.I.C. was wound up in September 2024 while Life Schools Ltd was wound up in August 2024. The ECHO revealed in March this year that plans had been put forward to convert the site of the disgraced school into "high end apartments".