Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry

Lady Smith, Chairwoman of the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, has published her findings in relation to the provision of residential care by the Marist Brothers at St. Columba’s College, Largs, and St. Joseph’s College, Dumfries between 1950 and 1981.

After hearing from 43 witnesses between 3rd October 2019 and 5th November 2019, Lady Smith concluded that abuse occurred at both schools and described many aspects which she heard about them as “shocking and distressing”. Both schools had flawed systems in place which allowed for members of the Marist Brothers, particularly those with sexual motives, to violate their monastic views and abuse children “with impunity”. She noted that some children in St. Columba’s had “suffered sadistic treatment associated with sexual abuse” at the hands of Peter Toner (who was jailed in 2019 for abusing five pupils) and Brother Germanus Paul, who were allowed to sexually abuse children over the course of 20 years.

Her Ladyship also criticised the absence of protective systems in place for the children and highlighted that reports of abuse resulted in inaction or the transfer of the Brothers complained of. She also noted that Marist Brothers were neither qualified nor trained in caring for children. This led to “the creation of abusive environments. Systemic failures allowed sexual predators easy access to vulnerable children”.

Abuse Claim Solicitors

If you were a pupil at St. Columba’s College or St. Joseph’s College and suffered abuse while there, you may be entitled to claim compensation. 

At Drummond Miller, we understand how difficult it is for survivors of abuse to speak about their experiences, let alone pursue a claim for financial compensation. Pursuing such a claim is a stressful and often complex process, and we pride ourselves on putting client care first. We aim to progress matters in a clear and accessible manner which caters to client’s needs

Our team of solicitors are experienced in pursuing abuse claims, whether historic or recent and have obtained compensation for many of our clients.  We act for one of the main core participants in the Child Abuse Inquiry.

We assist survivors from all over Scotland under both legal aid (subject to eligibility) and on a No Win No Fee basis. So, if you think that you have a potential claim for physical, sexual and/or emotional abuse, please feel free to contact Darren Deery for initial advice. Alternatively, you can fill in our online enquiry form and one of our team members will respond as soon as possible.