Latest news with #ScottishChildAbuseInquiry
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Daily Mail
Abusers at private school were 'protected by tradition' for 60 years, says judge
Child abusers at a prestigious Scottish boarding school were 'protected by tradition' for 60 years, an inquiry has found. Abuse became 'normalised for generations of boys' at Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh as concerns over their welfare were 'ignored'. Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (SCAI) chairman Lady Smith, a retired High Court judge, published her findings on the provision of residential care at the school. One of the 'prolific abusers', veteran teacher and former pupil James Rainy Brown, took his own life aged 75 in 2013 after learning of a police investigation - prompting a major policy review in 2014, the report said. Another abuser, Mervyn Preston, had taught Rainy Brown as a pupil – while a total of eight teachers were deemed to have been abusers. The school - where fees are up to £50,706 a year - yesterday issued an 'unreserved' apology and said child protection measures were now in place. The report said indecency occurred from the 1950s to the second decade of the 21st century. But Lady Smith said that 'by the early 2000s, Merchiston thought itself a leader in the child protection field'. Lady Smith said 'references were badly handled and child protection concerns ignored', while voyeurism and indecent assaults were common. She added: 'Abusers, and potential abusers, were sometimes protected by tradition, long service, or governor loyalty.' The findings, part of the £95million inquiry's overall boarding schools case study, found that 'in common with Loretto School, Morrison's Academy, Gordonstoun, and Queen Victoria School, children who boarded at Merchiston were exposed to risks of suffering sexual, physical and emotional abuse'. Lady Smith concluded the two main perpetrators at Merchiston – Rainy Brown and Preston - were 'virtually untouchable'. She said: 'From the 1950s to the second decade of the 21st century, there was a more or less continuous line of consistent indecency perpetrated by two prolific abusers, Mervyn Preston and James Rainy Brown. 'The former taught the latter, who then returned to Merchiston as a teacher, after which they worked together. 'They engaged in abusive behaviour which became normalised for generations of boys. 'In the cases of both those men, their longstanding service and positions of power in boarding houses rendered them virtually untouchable. 'In total, eight teachers abused children sexually. 'Seven were male and one was female. 'Conduct included voyeurism, encouraging nudity, indecent exposure, indecent assaults, and in the case of the female, it included encouraging senior pupils to engage in sexual intercourse with her.' She said the school's strong culture of rugby and sport left those who did not fit in vulnerable to abuse and bullying. Lady Smith said: 'For decades, differences - particularly those that made children vulnerable - went unnoticed by the school and staff. 'The Merchiston culture, where toughness in adversity was encouraged, facilitated and exacerbated abuse.' She said that by the millennium, the school was 'content to rely on positive but, in fact, inadequate and insufficiently critical' inspections, while 'obvious abusive trends' were missed - until 2014 when an overhaul was forced due to a wider police inquiry. But Lady Smith said: 'All of that fell apart following the suicide of James Rainy Brown, after he had been told he was subject to police investigation. 'A new inspection regime from 2014, including a wider police inquiry, revealed many longstanding weaknesses in child protection and pastoral care. 'Policies and their implementation had been unsatisfactory. HR processes had been consistently poor and leadership weak although well intended. 'Concerning behaviour had been recorded, but obvious abusive trends were repeatedly missed.' After a poor inspection report in 2015, Merchiston was made subject to special measures by the Scottish Government. It was obliged to respond, and Lady Smith said it was 'well led by its board of governors' and policies 'were corrected and became meaningful'. Yesterday headmaster Jonathan Anderson and Gareth Baird, chairman of the board of governors, said: 'Today's report by Lady Smith is detailed, fair and, at times, a difficult read. 'It uncovers a history of unacceptable abuse suffered by many former pupils and highlights the enduring impact on their lives decades later. 'To all those who suffered abuse while in the care of Merchiston Castle School, we offer our most sincere and unreserved apology. 'No child should ever suffer harm, especially not in a place that exists to nurture and educate. 'Those who were abused by their teachers or their fellow pupils deserved better, and we are truly sorry that they were so badly let down.'
The National
18-06-2025
- Politics
- The National
Scottish Labour MP red faced over grooming gang probe U-turn
Joani Reid voted against Tory proposals to launch a national inquiry into the scandal in January, months before the Prime Minister reversed his earlier opposition to a national probe. After a report by Baroness Casey recommended a national inquiry, Keir Starmer (below) backed one – having previously accused those calling for the measure of jumping on a far-right bandwagon. Reid then called for the national inquiry to include Scotland or for the Scottish Government to set up its own version. She told the Daily Record: 'It is vital Scotland is fully engaged with any statutory inquiry.' The East Kilbride MP added: 'If the Scottish Government does not intend to hold its own dedicated inquiry, we need clear reasons why – not the vague responses we've had so far.' But it has since emerged that Reid voted against a national inquiry when one was proposed five months ago by the opposition. READ MORE: Donald Trump shares fawning message from extremist US ambassador to Israel The Tories tabled an amendment to Labour's Children and Wellbeing Bill, which urged the Government to work towards 'establishing a national statutory inquiry into historical child sexual exploitation, focused on grooming gangs'. Reid was one of 350 Labour MPs who voted down that amendment on January 8 this year. SNP MP Pete Wishart told The National Labour were 'all over the place when it comes to a grooming gang inquiry'. He said: 'It is simply incredulous that a Scottish Labour MP insists that the Scottish government follow the example of the UK on a grooming gang inquiry when she herself was not prepared to support a UK wide inquiry when it was voted on in Parliament. (Image: PA) 'Labour are all over the place when it comes to a grooming gang inquiry. First they opposed one, then they backed it, now they insist that we join in with whatever position they have adopted this week.' The SNP have previously argued against holding a focused grooming gangs inquiry, saying the issue falls within the scope of the wider and ongoing Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry. Wishart added: 'In Scotland we have our own Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry as well multi-agency Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Strategic Group. In Scotland it is also the case that all healthcare and education already have a duty to report child abuse. The First Minister has also said that mandatory reporting is securing active consideration.' Reid was approached for comment.
The National
17-06-2025
- Politics
- The National
Scottish Tories join Labour MP in call for Scottish grooming inquiry
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced an official probe into group-based child exploitation on Monday after the UK Government rejected calls for this earlier this year. Now the Scottish Tories have written to Cooper warning that 'victims of grooming gangs in Scotland must not and cannot be overlooked'. It comes after Scottish Labour MP Joani Reid also called for John Swinney to launch a grooming inquiry. Shadow Scottish Secretary Andrew Bowie said: "Now that the Labour Government has finally bowed to the huge public demand for a national inquiry into the grooming gangs scandal it is essential that it is truly national in scope. READ MORE: Scottish Government names date for ditching two-child cap 'That means extending the remit to include Scotland, where there have been well-documented cases of gangs responsible for the rape and sexual abuse of young women. 'The Home Secretary must work with the Scottish Government to agree the scope of the inquiry because it's imperative that the voices of Scottish victims of these vile gangs are heard and appropriate lessons learned for the future. 'We already know that vulnerable young women were appallingly let down by Labour-run councils, where it appears that partisan political considerations led to the cover-up of the issue." Reid said there was "less understanding about the scale of this problem in Scotland" and this was "unacceptable". 'If the Scottish Government does not intend to hold its own dedicated inquiry, we need clear reasons why – not the vague responses we've had so far. This issue is too serious and urgent to leave unanswered," she said. The UK Government rejected calls for a public inquiry earlier this year and instead said it was focusing on putting in place the recommendations already made in a seven-year national inquiry by Professor Alexis Jay. But the Prime Minister announced on Saturday a full probe would be held after a review by Baroness Louise Casey. READ MORE: Cuts to PIP will plunge families further into poverty, research says The review found suspects were often 'disproportionately likely' to be Asian men. Speaking to journalists on Monday, First Minister Swinney said: 'The Prime Minister has obviously taken his own decision on grooming gangs. 'We established some years ago the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, which has got extensive scope and ability to explore many or all of these issues. "I would give every consideration to an issue of this type if I felt it was necessary to be undertaken and obviously we will do that in the fullness of time.' A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'Child sexual abuse and exploitation has a devastating impact, which is why we are taking action to ensure that children are protected from harm. 'The independent Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry is undertaking an extensive review of child protection policy and practice in Scotland and will report with recommendations for further development in due course. We have also established a national multi-agency Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Strategic Group, of which Professor Alexis Jay is a member, to consider all UK and Scottish work and make recommendations to Ministers accordingly. 'In Scotland, all healthcare and education professionals already have a duty to report child abuse. The case for introducing mandatory reporting more widely remains under active consideration, and we are continuing to engage closely with key partners, including Police Scotland, Social Work Scotland and Child Protection Committees Scotland, on this important issue.'
The Herald Scotland
17-06-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Scotland ‘at risk of two-tier justice' over grooming inquiry
First Minister John Swinney yesterday told journalists that the independent Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry is undertaking an extensive review of child protection policy and has the powers necessary to investigate grooming. READ MORE Demands for a closer look at grooming gangs in Scotland follow the publication of damning report by Baroness Louise Casey, exposing decades of institutional failure to protect vulnerable children—particularly girls—from organised abuse. The report described such crimes as 'one of the most heinous in our society' and accused authorities of turning a blind eye, failing to act on warnings, and treating victims as if they were responsible for their own exploitation. It highlighted how children—often in care or already at risk—were coerced, raped and trafficked by multiple men, and later ignored or disbelieved by the very systems meant to protect them. A central finding was the state's refusal to properly examine the role of ethnicity in offending patterns. Despite numerous convictions involving groups of Asian men, often of Pakistani heritage, many agencies avoided collecting or analysing this data for fear of appearing racist or stoking community tensions. Ethnicity is currently recorded in only 37% of suspect cases. Baroness Casey said this lack of transparency had harmed victims, undermined public trust and fuelled extremism. The review found that grooming gangs often operated in loosely connected social networks, targeting vulnerable girls with flattery, gifts, alcohol and drugs before passing them between abusers. Despite countless reviews and promises of reform since the high-profile scandals in Rotherham and Rochdale, Baroness Casey said little had changed in how institutions respond. At the start of the year, the UK Government repeatedly dismissed calls for a national inquiry, arguing that the issue had already been examined in a seven-year investigation led by Professor Alexis Jay. Instead, they commissioned Baroness Casey to conduct a review of the grooming gang evidence. Her searing report—and call for a full statutory inquiry into grooming gangs—prompted the Prime Minister to change position. On Tuesday, Shadow Scottish Secretary Andrew Bowie wrote to the Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, welcoming the probe and urging her to expand the UK inquiry's remit to cover Scotland. 'To exclude Scotland risks creating a two-tier system of justice,' he warned. 'Victims of grooming gangs in Scotland must not and cannot be overlooked.' He said there was 'clear evidence that victims have been trafficked into Scotland as part of organised exploitation networks'. Mr Bowie pointed to a 2016 grooming gang operating in Glasgow, where at least 44 victims were forced into prostitution and abused mentally, physically and financially. A Romanian gang was found responsible for the rape and sexual abuse of women in Dundee. The inquiry, he said, could follow the model of the Covid Inquiry, with co-operation between governments and parallel hearings where necessary. 'It is essential that the voices of Scottish victims are heard and appropriate lessons learned,' he said. 'The Home Secretary must work with the Scottish Government to agree the scope of the inquiry.' READ MORE Meanwhile, Ms Reid, the MP for East Kilbride and Strathaven, said there was little information on the scale of the problem in Scotland. She told the Daily Record: 'Young women and girls are being exploited by organised grooming gangs in Scotland. Strathclyde University's Professor Alexis Jay, the UK's leading expert on sexual exploitation, made this clear to MPs earlier in the year. 'We have even less understanding about the scale of this problem in Scotland. That is simply unacceptable. It is vital Scotland is fully engaged with any statutory inquiry.' She added: 'If the Scottish Government does not intend to hold its own dedicated inquiry, we need clear reasons why—not the vague responses we have had so far. This issue is too serious and urgent to leave unanswered.' Announcing the inquiry in the Commons on Monday, Ms Cooper gave an 'unequivocal apology' to victims and said it was time to 'expose this depravity to the light'. The inquiry will be able to order local deep dives, investigate past failings and examine whether existing systems are still letting down young people at risk. The First Minister was asked on Monday—ahead of the publication of Baroness Casey's review—about Sir Keir Starmer's decision to hold an inquiry, and whether there was a need to do something similar in Scotland. He said: 'The Prime Minister has obviously taken his own decision in relation to grooming gangs. 'We established the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry some years ago. It has extensive scope and the ability to explore many—and all—of these issues. 'There will, of course, be other processes of inquiry undertaken when that is appropriate. 'I would give every consideration to an issue of this type if I felt it was necessary to be undertaken—and we will do that in the fullness of time.' Responding to Ms Reid's comments in the Daily Record, a Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'The independent Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry is undertaking an extensive review of child protection policy in Scotland and will report with recommendations. 'We have also established a national multi-agency Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Strategic Group. All healthcare and education professionals already have a duty to report child abuse. The case for mandatory reporting more widely remains under active consideration.'
The Courier
10-06-2025
- Politics
- The Courier
Boy, 9, died trying to escape abuse at Fife school as family make 'cover-up' claim
The brother of a nine-year-old boy who died while trying to escape a Fife residential school has accused the UK Government of a cover-up. The youngster was knocked down and killed as police chased him along the M90 in April 1972. It was the 13th time the boy had run away from Corsbie Hall, in Thornton, amid claims of horrific abuse. A Fife MP later claimed the school could be part of 'a major education scandal'. However, Secretary of State for Scotland Gordon Campbell rejected calls for an inquiry. The family of the youngster who died told the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry they were astonished at Lord Campbell of Croy's reaction. They claim documents suggest the secretary of state and George Taylor-Bryant, Corsbie Hall's headteacher, were friends. Francis, the boy's brother, said: 'They've airbrushed everything out of existence and it will come back to haunt them. 'My reaction is it's a cover-up.' Corsbie Hall was located in the old Thornton Fever Hospital, near Glenrothes, from 1970 to 1972. The inquiry heard children were regularly beaten, starved and forced to take cold showers at the school for 'mentally and socially disturbed pupils'. And Margaret Thatcher, education secretary at the time, stopped English youngsters from attending. The nine-year-old boy who died cannot be named due to legal restrictions. However, the inquiry heard he was removed from his Stirling home against his family's wishes because was dyslexic. Francis and sister Sharon, both pseudonyms, said their brother complained of being locked in a cupboard in just his pants almost every night. He spoke of being hit with sticks, refused food and forced to scrub floors and carry rocks. Then, in a letter home, the youngster told how he had run away 12 times but promised not to do it again. However, Sharon said: 'He ran away one more time and that's when he was killed.' The youngster's death had a devastating impact on his family and many years later they started looking for answers. They discovered Parliamentary records which show Fife Labour MP Willie Hamilton pushed several times for an official inquiry into Corsbie Hall. He said the situation was 'extremely unsatisfactory'. However, a letter from the secretary of state described their brother running away as 'no more than a boyish escapade'. And Lord Campbell, who died in 2005 aged 83, said: 'No blame can be attached to the school.' He later accused Mr Hamilton of 'being a little hard on the school', adding: 'I don't think an inquiry will serve any useful purpose.' The records show Corsbie Hall headteacher Mr Taylor-Bryant had no teaching or childcare qualifications. They also revealed one of the teachers had previously been charged with sexual offences against children.
