'I was in tears seeing the Edinburgh teacher who abused me'

Neil Douglas says he "recoiled" when he saw Wares for the first time since his school days

A man who says he was assaulted by an Edinburgh school teacher in the 1970s, says he reverted to his childhood self seeing him in a South African court.

Neil Douglas, 60, said he burst into tears seeing Iain Wares again, 50 years after he taught at Edinburgh Academy.

Wares, 83, is facing two charges of sexual assault at a Cape Town school.

He is separately fighting extradition to Scotland over charges relating to his time teaching at Fettes College and Edinburgh Academy in the 1960s and 70s.

BBC Panorama filmed Mr Douglas as he travelled to Cape Town to see Wares at Wynberg Magistrate's Court.

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He said the journey might be his only chance to "look him in the eye".

He told BBC Radio Scotland's Drivetime programme that he "recoiled backwards" seeing him for the first time since his school days.

"I just burst into tears. It was entirely overwhelming.

"I think I was a 10-year-old boy crying, then I was a 60-year-old man crying for my 10-year-old self, then I was crying for all the others who he abused over the years. It was incredibly moving."

Iain Wares (centre) is facing abuse charges at Wynberg Magistrate's Court in Cape Town

Mr Douglas, now a flying instructor based in Gloucester, wore a T-shirt in court bearing the photos of some of those who claim Wares abused them at Edinburgh Academy and Fettes College.

Mr Douglas attended Edinburgh Academy from 1967 to 1979. He was in Iain Wares' class in 1972 where he says he and his classmates suffered physical and sexual abuse.

BBC presenter Nicky Campbell is one of several former pupils who have made allegations about him.

"I think the thing we all struggle with is that we are not believed," Mr Douglas added.

"With some of the articles that have been out recently, there's been trolls saying nothing happened or you are over-exaggerating it.

"So I think closure for us is that our story is believed. That probably means the court in South Africa finding him guilty and therefore at least we will be validated."

'Ridiculously slow'

Wares had previously only been referred to by the pseudonym Edgar, to comply with a restriction order made by the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry.

Last month, in response to a challenge by several media organisations including the BBC, Lady Smith ruled that evidence from the inquiry identifying Wares could be published.

The authorities in Cape Town approved a UK extradition request in 2020 but the process has been delayed by an appeal against the decision.

Mr Douglas said the extradition process has been "ridiculously slow".

"He is living in a beautiful gated community in quite a luxurious environment, when he should be held in a South African prison awaiting extradition appeal.

"I feel reasonably hopeless about it. I wouldn't have come all this way if I thought I was going to see him in Scotland facing trial.

"There is a real risk that he will never make it back to Scotland, so for myself and roughly 100 other people I know who were abused by him, this is a possibility to see him actually face justice.

"Even although it's not in our country and not in connection with us, it is exactly the same abuse which he perpetrated a few years later when he moved here."

The case at Wynberg Magistrate's Court has been postponed until 6 June for further investigation.