Abusive former teacher actively harmed children over a span of 27 years in Scotland
In a series of shocking revelations, two former teachers at the prestigious Edinburgh Academy have been found guilty of abusing students during their tenure. John Young, a gym teacher at the school from 1966 to 1993, and John Brownlee, another teacher at the school, were both found guilty of repeated assaults against pupils.
John Young, now 91, was deemed clinically unfit to stand trial or attend court. However, a court ruling in 2025 established that he sexually and physically abused boys over a 27-year period, with 26 charges proven against him. The charges included eight counts of obscene and libidinous practices and behaviors, four counts of breach of the peace, five counts of assault with injury, five counts of assault, three counts of indecent assault, and one count of cruel and unnatural treatment.
Prosecutor Fiona Kirkby stated that John Young systematically abused boys while holding a significant position of trust as a teacher at Edinburgh Academy. Victims reported that John Young punished students for bad behavior with physical violence, including punches, a cricket bat, a megaphone, and a wooden wedge. The abuse has left many victims traumatized and struggling to trust figures of authority.
John Brownlee was also found to have repeatedly committed violent assaults against pupils. He was deemed too unwell to undergo trial and was found guilty of inflicting sadistic cruelty on his students last year.
These cases highlight a broader problem of child abuse in private schools in the UK. The Edinburgh Academy cases underscored the challenges in responding to historical abuse complaints, including delays in reporting and the difficulties of prosecuting elderly accused. However, the courts have emphasized a robust prosecutorial response regardless of when the abuse occurred, sending a clear message to abusers about accountability.
The Edinburgh Academy is among several UK private schools where such abuse has surfaced, indicating a need for greater vigilance, safeguarding policies, and support for victims. The publicly reported cases have prompted calls for systemic changes in private education to prevent abuse and to improve responses when allegations arise.
One of the most disturbing aspects of the John Young case is that a mother wrote a complaint letter to the teacher about him making boys take off their underwear before putting on gym pants. The complaint was made to the teacher, not reported to the authorities. The teacher claimed he wanted to avoid students spending the rest of the day after physical education class with sweaty underwear, but the mother considered it caused "considerable embarrassment" and was not a common practice.
The court decision is a public disclosure of the facts and a recognition that the abuse was criminal. In total, 24 former pupils and three other witnesses were heard during the proceedings. The first complaint against John Young was made in 1992 by the mother of a student. The mother sought the opinion of many other mothers in her son's class, who were also against the practice.
As we move forward, it is crucial that private schools take steps to ensure the safety and well-being of their students. This includes implementing strong safeguarding policies, providing support for victims, and fostering a culture of openness and transparency. Only then can we hope to prevent such abuses from happening in the future and provide justice for those who have suffered.
[1] The Guardian
[2] BBC News
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