A former teacher has been found guilty of 26 offences of sexual and physical assault against boys at Edinburgh Academy, one of Scotland's best-known private schools. John Young, 91, known as Jake Young, was head of physical education at the school between 1966 and 1993.
Sheriff Iain Nicol ruled at Edinburgh sheriff court on Monday that Young deliberately assaulted pupils as young as 10. In one case, Young kicked and punched a 12-year-old boy recovering from a spinal injury, causing substantial pain. The boy, who walked with a visible limp, had pleaded with Young that he could not pick up weights as ordered.
Young's assaults included twisting and squeezing boys' genitals, striking them with a cricket bat or wooden implement, and looking at their genitalia under their shorts. Despite the guilty verdicts, Young will not face punishment as he was found too ill and infirm to stand trial, being close to death.
The case was heard as an examination of facts, a rare process used when a defendant is unfit for trial. This follows a similar case last year against another former Edinburgh Academy master, John Brownlee, who was found guilty of more than 30 assaults. Both cases emerged during a public inquiry into abuse in Scottish schools and care homes.
Sheriff Nicol cleared Young of 28 charges, including breaches of the peace and indecent assaults, ruling that evidence Young watched boys showering was often to ensure they were changing quickly. A spokesperson for Young's victims said the verdict provided some comfort, confirming that time is no barrier to accountability.
