Children suffered ‘dreadful abuse’ at Edinburgh Academy, inquiry finds

Inquiry chairwoman Lady Smith found that children were sexually abused by staff over four decades, from the 1950s to the 1980s, and endured physical and emotional abuse.

She said some boarders at the school lived in a “permanent state of fear” and that the institution “failed to look at itself through a realistic and critical lens”.

Broadcaster Nicky Campbell, who attended the school between 1966 and 1978, was among those who gave evidence to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (SCAI) and described being “haunted” in the middle of the night by memories of his schooldays.

Perpetrators of the abuse included teacher Hamish Dawson, who died in 2009, and former housemaster John Brownlee, Lady Smith said.

Edinburgh Academy has reiterated its “sincere apology” to all those affected by abuse at the school and said it is educating its current pupils in a “caring and supportive environment”.

Issuing her findings on Tuesday, Lady Smith said: “For decades, the school failed to look at itself through a realistic and critical lens.

“It is clear it was assumed that abuse did not and would not take place; when it did, the school could not accept that it had happened, failed to address it, and failed to recognise the risk of it continuing. Complacency was the order of the day.

“When complaints were made, they were either disbelieved or left unresolved. Staff chose not to notice and avoided intervention or investigation despite there being obvious signs of abuse.”

She said: “Children were failed, and failed to the extent that there was dreadful abuse.”

In 2024, John Brownlee, then 89, was ruled by a court to have committed “cruel and unnatural acts” of physical and emotional abuse on pupils at the school between 1967 and 1991, but was deemed medically unfit to stand trial and was not sentenced to punishment.

Lady Smith found that homophobia was rife at the academy while racism was prevalent even in the prep school, often involving anti-English sentiment, while some pupils were abused by others because they were Jewish or because of their skin colour.

Girls were subjected to “unpleasant abusive misogyny” after the introduction of co-education in the sixth form.

Lady Smith also referred to the evidence of one former pupil who gave evidence using the pseudonym Henry, who described how it was “normal to groom 11-year-olds with jelly babies” and molest them in front of many others.

He told the inquiry: “It was normal to kick, hit and strangle to the point of unconsciousness 10-year-olds.

“It was normal to inflict physical punishment with a plank of wood with no good reason.”

Lady Smith also found that physical abuse of children was “normalised” at the school and that violence was “part and parcel of an aggressive and rigid culture that persisted into the 1990s”.

In her report Lady Smith also names former teacher Iain Wares who is facing allegations of abuse and currently lives in South Africa where extradition proceedings to return him to Scotland are ongoing.

Barry Welsh, rector of the academy, said: “We have a commitment to facing up to the wrongs of the past which remains unwavering. We are grateful to Lady Smith and we have played our part in her inquiry throughout.

“Her report makes for sombre reading, and reinforces the remarkable bravery shown by our former pupils who have given evidence. We reiterate our sincere apology to all those affected by any abuse that occurred at our school.

“While we cannot change the past, we can shape the future. We continue to support survivors as fully as we are able whilst also educating our current pupils in a caring and supportive environment.”

Survivor Neil Douglas, 64, a former pupil who attended Edinburgh Academy between 1967 and 1979, said: “I welcome the fact that Lady Smith hasn’t pulled any punches. The report makes incredibly grim reading, but I am glad it is in the public domain.

“It is a clear, no-holds-barred review exposing decades of abuse in a feral and horrific environment.

“Lady Smith has also perfectly captured the school’s focus on its reputation to the exclusion of everything else.”

Kim Leslie, head of personal injury at law firm Irwin Mitchell Scotland, is currently representing a number of survivors who attended the school.

She said: “We welcome this report which has been made possible by the bravery, commitment and co-operation of former pupils who told their stories and have campaigned tirelessly for accountability.

“The findings are a damning acknowledgement that abuse took place at a school where children should have been safe, but they were let down and for many it has had a long-term impact.

“They have waited decades for this recognition, and their courage may help others who have gone through similar experiences. It is never too late to come forward.”

Laura Connor, a partner with Thompsons Solicitors Scotland, also represents many survivors of abuse at the school.

She said: “The brave individuals who spoke with the inquiry, many of whom are our clients, have been admirable in coming forward and giving evidence on what they endured.”

The SCAI, which aims to raise public awareness of the abuse of children in care, is considering evidence up to December 17 2014 and which is within the living memory of any person who suffered abuse.