Six-figure damages agreed over school abuse claims

A man who said he was physically and sexually abused by his fellow pupils at a boarding school in East Lothian has agreed a six-figure sum in damages.

Angus Bell, 44, claimed students were "set on fire, beaten with cricket bats and strangled" in a "madhouse" of violence and psychological abuse at Loretto School in Musselburgh during the 1990s.

A civil trial, thought to be the first to involve pupil-on-pupil abuse, was due to begin at the Court of Session in Edinburgh on 12 June, but the school opted to settle out of court.

The school's head teacher said Mr Bell's experience had "not been congruent" of other pupils' during the same period.

Mr Bell, who now lives in Canada, was thought to be the first person to sue the school over allegations of historical abuse when the action was brought in November 2023.

He alleged teachers were aware of the violence and sexual abuse perpetrated by older pupils but did not intervene to stop it and took steps to cover it up.

Police Scotland said an investigation into abuse at the school was ongoing.

Mr Bell spent eight years at Loretto from the age of 10.

He said he was whipped with belt buckles, thrown down flights of stairs, locked in trunks and waterboarded in a dirty toilet.

Mr Bell also claimed he witnessed children being set on fire and having their "genitals mutilated from gang beatings with boots".

He described every day as a "cross between The Purge and The Running Man," adding it was "eight years in hell".

Mr Bell, who gave evidence to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (SCAI) on his experiences, said no-one from Loretto had never apologised for the abuse he suffered.

He said: "The school knew abuse was happening and all too often chose to look the other way.

"The daily abuse I suffered at Loretto, from eight years of unchecked, harrowing peer-on-peer assaults, has been life changing.

"I entered Loretto as a tiny, defenceless, 10-year-old boy. I endured eight years of abuse, 34 years of post-traumatic stress disorder, four and a half years of legal battle, and in the end, that little boy beat the system."

Mr Bell praised the work of a former English teacher David Stock who kept evidence of abuse at the school after leaving in 1991.

He said dozens of fellow former pupils and staff had reached out to offer their support.

Loretto previously acknowledged pupils were abused by a teacher in the 1950s and 60s.

Loretto head teacher, Pete Richardson, said the school had made "unreserved" apologies to those it recognised to have experienced abuse in the past.

"Whilst we do not intend to comment on the detail of matters raised by Mr Bell, what has been averred in the court action is not congruent with our understanding of the experience of others at Loretto at that time," he said.

"We continue to support the work of SCAI and, where wrongdoing has been recognised in the past, we have made an unreserved apology – we would encourage anyone with an interest in this matter to look at the excellent work done by SCAI."

Mr Richardson added: "In the Loretto of today, child protection, wellbeing and the happiness of all pupils is our top priority."

Richard Pitts, partner at legal firm Digby Brown, who led the action, said Mr Bell's treatment at Loretto had been "horrific," but praised him for his courage in coming forward.

He said: "Angus has been strong, calm and resilient throughout his entire journey and I commend him for what he has been able to do because he has not just secured justice for himself - in all likelihood he has opened the doors to help others get the outcome they deserve too."