Loretto School apologises for giving reference to sexual predator

Scotland's oldest boarding school has apologised for exposing children to danger after giving a good job reference to a serial sexual predator.

Loretto School in Musselburgh, East Lothian, provided a positive reference for late French teacher Guy Ray-Hills in the late 1960s.

The Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry heard it also published a "gushing memorial" article on him in the school magazine.

Earlier in the inquiry, Loretto acknowledged that pupils were abused.

It was one of seven prestigious private schools to offer "unreserved" apologies to former students who were abused while in their care.

Inquiry counsel Andrew Brown QC said Ray-Hills was a serial sexual abuser of multiple boys in the 1950s and 1960s.

He said: "Headmasters that chaired his tenure could only have been aware of what was going on."

Angela Grahame QC, for Loretto, apologised for its "serious failure" in giving him a reference in 1968, which "put other children in danger".

She said: "Whispers may have been heard but were often overlooked, there was a lamentable lack of curiosity."

Ms Grahame told the inquiry one boy reported the abuse to his mother but there is no evidence of an investigation or a police investigation.

She added: "By failing to address the problems, the school did nothing to encourage further disclosures.

"There is no evidence that support was provided for the children and no evidence of communication with parents."

The QC said the provision of references and the failure to mention serious child protection issues "put other children in danger and was wrong".

Earlier this month a film director told the inquiry he was raped by Ray-Hills and compared his predatory actions to US film producer Harvey Weinstein.

Don Boyd, who wrote a piece in The Observer newspaper in 2001 revealing he was a victim, said the teacher had the same ability to charm and manipulate people as the disgraced producer.

Ray-Hills was charged with sexual offences in the early 2000s but the case was dropped due to his ill health and he died a short time later.

Ms Grahame said Loretto has "changed beyond all recognition" and is now a "wonderful place" where "children are listened to and treated with respect".

Meanwhile, Lady Smith, chairing the inquiry, said she will reluctantly delay publishing her findings relating to schools linked to the English Benedictine Congregation.

These include Carlekemp in North Berwick and Fort Augustus Abbey in the Highlands.

She said: "I do want to stress that these circumstances have not been created by the inquiry."

Separately, Morrison's Academy, apologised to former pupils who had been physically and emotionally abused between the 1950s and 1990s.

Lawyer Duncan Hamilton said the school, in Crieff, Perthshire, is now "far removed from the school described in evidence".

The inquiry is due to resume later this year after it moves to new premises in central Edinburgh.