Five men, aged between 69 and 90, have been arrested and charged in connection with a series of historical abuse cases at Edinburgh Academy. The allegations span a 24-year period from 1968 to 1992, involving the mistreatment of young people at the prestigious school.
Additionally, a sixth individual, a 74-year-old man, has been reported to the procurator fiscal in relation to the case. These charges come after nearly 50 witnesses, including television presenter Nicky Campbell, gave harrowing accounts of abuse at the school to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry. The inquiry revealed that as many as 20 staff members were implicated in the abuse of pupils at the fee-paying institution.
Following these revelations, Police Scotland initiated a thorough investigation into the allegations. The inquiry also discovered, as reported by the BBC’s Panorama programme, that records of abuse from the 1970s were not properly maintained.
In response to these developments, a spokesperson for Edinburgh Academy expressed the school’s dismay over the historical incidents. “We are appalled by the historical incidents of abuse and deeply regret what happened at the Academy in the past,” the spokesperson stated. The school has pledged its full support to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry and commended the courage of those who have come forward with their experiences.
The ongoing legal proceedings have prompted the school to refrain from commenting on individual cases. They encouraged any victims of abuse to contact Police Scotland to report their experiences.
Det Insp Colin Moffat, who is leading the investigation, emphasized the complexity and challenges of probing child abuse cases, particularly those that are non-recent. He assured that all reports of such crimes would be thoroughly investigated and that the victims’ voices would be heard and taken seriously.
One notable case involved in the investigation is that of Iain Wares, a former maths teacher at both Edinburgh Academy and Fettes College. Nicky Campbell, a former pupil, alleged witnessing abuse by Wares. The 84-year-old teacher, currently residing in South Africa, faces over 80 abuse charges but has contested his extradition to the UK. Wares is scheduled to stand trial for indecent assault in Cape Town in February 2024.
The charges against the five men mark a significant step in addressing historical abuse cases and ensuring justice for the victims. The Edinburgh Academy, along with the authorities, continues to deal with the ramifications of these disturbing revelations from its past.
