Former Edinburgh Academy teacher abused boys for 27 years

Edinburgh Academy has apologised for abuse that pupils suffered at the school in the past

A court has concluded that a former PE teacher at a private school in Edinburgh abused more than a dozen of his pupils over a 27-year period.

John Young, known as Jake, used excessive corporal punishment and behaved indecently towards some of the boys at Edinburgh Academy.

Doctors said the 91-year-old was not fit to stand trial so instead a sheriff at Edinburgh Sheriff Court examined the facts in his absence.

The judge decided it was beyond reasonable doubt that Young had carried out 26 of the 54 charges brought against him but due to his health no further action will be taken.

Young was the only PE teacher at Edinburgh Academy's upper school and taught thousands of boys between 1966 and 1993.

He was found to have physically assaulted some pupils when he was punishing them.

This included throwing a basketball at a boy's head, slapping another across the head with a clipboard and using a cricket bat to hit several boys across the buttocks.

He was also found guilty of being cruel by making a boy take part in a PE class while he was injured.

The former pupils described a pattern of him picking on those who were not good at sport. He either physically hit them for poor performance or mocked their bodies in the changing room.

The court heard how Young was a strict teacher who enforced the school rules. One of the rules was that underwear should not be worn under your gym shorts.

The PE teacher would line the class up and ask them to hold the waist band of their shorts out so he could check they were naked underneath.

Members of the Edinburgh Academy survivors group read a statement outside court

Barry Welsh, rector of the Edinburgh Academy, said: "Our commitment to facing up to the wrongs of the past remains unwavering.

"Many former pupils have shown remarkable bravery by giving evidence over several years, and we would like to reiterate our apology to all those affected by any abuse that occurred at our school."

Claims of abuse have been made against 20 members of teaching staff at the private boys school, spanning between 1954 and 1995.

The BBC presenter Nicky Campbell is among former pupils who have spoken of the cruel treatment they suffered during their time at the school.

In 2023, Edinburgh Academy issued an apology for the "brutal and unrestrained" violence and admitted "serious sexual abuse was widespread" at the school.

A spokesperson for the Edinburgh Academy survivors group said: "This will now provide some comfort for all those boys, some as young as 10 years old and many of whom were never believed by anyone at the time.

"This examination of facts has shown that Mr Young committed acts of cruelty and to have physically and mentally terrified many boys that he was entrusted to look after during his 27-year tenure at the school.

"His violent, emotional, and libidinous acts are now a matter of public record."

The sheriff concluded that given Young's age and health there would be no further action taken.

He said that placing Young on the sex offenders register at this stage would serve no practical purpose.