30 November 2023 , 19:45
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Warning: this article contains accounts that some may find distressing
Broadcaster Nicky Campbell has bravely opened up about the traumatic abuse he suffered and witnessed as a schoolboy in Scotland.
A number of individuals have come forward to accuse former Edinburgh Academy teacher Iain Wares, 83, of abusing dozens of boys during the 1960s and 1970s.
Nicky, 62, was a pupil at the fee-paying Edinburgh-based school, from the ages of five to 17, a time period that spanned between 1966 and 1978. Giving evidence to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry earlier this year, Nicky alleged that he saw Wares sexually assaulting a primary-age child in the showers, an incident which has 'haunted' him ever since.
Wares' identity was made public following arguments from the media and after SNP MP Ian Blackford named him in the House of Commons. The allegations against Wares, whom Nicky has compared to sex offender Jimmy Savile, will be the focus of a BBC Panorama special set to air tonight, which will feature Campbell and a number of alleged survivors.
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Nicky was left 'haunted' after witnessing the alleged incident (BBC Studios)Describing the alleged incident he witnessed during a two-hour testimony before Lady Smith, Nicky said: "This has haunted me since it happened. It all haunts you. I have had my penis touched by a teacher. The smell of carbolic soap is triggering. I remember Wares leaning over the back of my friend and masturbating him.
"He would have been about nine or 10 years old. I remember my friend laughing and giggling, 'it's a game, stop, stop'. I remember Wares saying, 'it's a game, it's a game', and my friend moving away." He continued: "We weren't taught by him, but people would say, 'He's dangerous, weirdo, weirdo, weirdo'. Violence was a big thing for him too."
Nicky, who stated that he has used prescription medication to deal with the painful memories from his school days, went on to allege that he was sexually assaulted by another teacher, Hamish Dawson, who died in 2009. Describing himself as a 'survivor', Nicky told the inquiry: "I'm 62 years old but Hamish Dawson's hands are still in my underwear playing with my penis."
When he was 14 or 15 years old, Nicky claimed he was physically attacked by another teacher, who has not been identified for legal reasons. The alleged attack was reportedly so violent that a friend who saw it happen assumed Nicky was being mugged by a stranger. Nicky has described the alleged assault as 'being tossed like a ragdoll, punching and kicking me'.
Nicky has compared Wares to prolific sex offender Jimmy Savile (BBC Studios)
A number of alleged victims have come forward (BBC Studios)Speaking ahead of the broadcast with The Times, Nicky said of Wares: "His name is slime and now people will see it. People will see the outrage. It is a kind of justice." He continued: "Iain Wares is up there with Savile. We've done the maths. We've calculated it: his modus operandi, the number of people in the class, how frequently he did it."
The inquiry heard earlier that both Edinburgh Academy and Fettes College, where Wares taught afterward, had been warned about the allegations, but the matter hadn't been escalated with police. After being sacked from Fettes, Wares was reportedly given positive references before returning to his home country of South Africa, where he would go on to teach for decades.
In a statement released in August, Edinburgh Academy said: "Schools should be safe places for everyone and, at various points in our history, this was not the case for too many of our pupils. They were wronged by specific individuals whose roles were to educate, protect and nurture them. For this, the Edinburgh Academy unreservedly apologises."
Fettes College has paid out more than £ 1 million in damages to three former students over allegations concerning Wares' sexual abuse. The school told The Times: "We have co-operated fully with all relevant authorities in any case of alleged non-recent abuse, and we offer a full and unreserved apology to those who suffered abuse while at Fettes College."
If you've been the victim of sexual assault, you can access help and resources via www.rapecrisis.org.uk or calling the national telephone helpline on 0808 802 9999
BBC Panorama: My Teacher the Abuser: Fighting for Justice will air on BBC One on Thursday, November 30 at 9pm
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