Five arrested over historic abuse at Edinburgh Private School
The men - aged between 69 and 90 - were arrested in connection with incidents are alleged to have taken place at the Edinburgh Academy between 1968 and 1992.
Last updated 12th Dec 2023
Five men - aged between 69 and 90 - have been arrested and charged in connection with historic abuse at an Edinburgh private school.
The incidents are alleged to have taken place at the Edinburgh Academy between 1968 and 1992.
It comes in the wake of harrowing testimony earlier this year, from former pupils of the school at the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry. Nearly 50 witnesses gave evidence including the broadcaster Nicky Campbell, who compared the sexual abuse he saw at the prestigious school as being on a similar scale to that of Jimmy Saville.
"For the first time in our lives, it's been taken as seriously as it could possibly be"
Giles Moffat is one of the co-founders of the Edinburgh Academy Survivors group, he says it's a hugely significant moment:
"For the first time in our lives, it's been taken as seriously as it could possibly be"
"The consequences of the abuse on us has been very real, and we're now seeing the very real consequences on people who committed the acts of abuse in the first place".
Detective Inspector Colin Moffat said: “We would like to thank everyone who has come forward and assisted our enquiries to date."
“While the investigation of child abuse, particularly non-recent offences, can be complex and challenging, anyone who reports this type of crime can be assured that we will listen and we will investigate all reports, no matter when those offences occurred or who committed them."
A spokesperson for the Edinburgh Academy said that whilst “it wouldn’t be appropriate for us to comment on any individual cases while there are active legal proceedings", they are "appalled by, and deeply regret, what happened at the Academy in the past."
"This was examined in detail at the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, which we have fully supported, and we applaud the bravery of those who came forward to tell their stories. We will continue to respect the ongoing legal process and would encourage anyone who has been the victim of abuse to contact Police Scotland.”
Reports will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.
A sixth man, aged 74, will also be reported to the Procurator Fiscal.