Nicky Campbell says his teacher abused hundreds of boys

Nicky Campbell says his former teacher abused hundreds of boys at Edinburgh Academy and Fettes College and may ‘be one of the most prolific paedophiles in British criminal history’

• Campbell said the ‘prolific’ abuse was so ‘ubiquitous’ that most pupils knew 
• A teacher at both Fettes and the Edinburgh Academy he thinks abused 100s 
• And also criticised him not being extradited from south Africa before now
• Aged 12, Campbell said different teacher Hamish Dawson sexually abused him 

BBC presenter Nicky Campbell believes that his former teacher abused hundreds of boys at two elite private schools in Scotland and might ‘be one of the most prolific paedophiles in British criminal history’. 

The broadcaster, 61, said today that the teacher – who he refers to as Edgar, not his real name – was at his school Edinburgh Academy before moving on to Fettes College, the alma mater of former PM Tony Blair. 

He said if you take into consideration the career of the man – who is still alive, now 82, and living in South Africa – over the span of 30 years than the alleged abuse could be more widespread. 

Speaking on BBC Breakfast this morning, Mr Campbell said: ‘He could well be one of the most prolific paedophiles in British criminal history if you do the math’s and look at how long he taught and how many schools he was at.’ 

He claimed on Wednesday that in 1971, aged 10, he witnessed the man – who has more than 20 child abuse allegations to his name under the ongoing Scottish Child Abuse Enquiry – abusing one of his friends in Edinburgh Academy’s showers after rugby training. 

‘My friend is laughing but I know from the fear in it that it’s not a good laugh,’ Campbell recounted. ‘The teacher has both hands on my friend’s penis and is masturbating him. When we walk to the bus stop we don’t even talk about it and we’d never tell.’

He wants to bring ‘Edgar’, to justice, who is proving difficult to extradite. ‘I think it’s an absolute scandal that the extradition process is kind of like yeah whatever,’ he said.

Nicky Campbell told BBC Breakfast this morning that his former teacher abused hundreds of boys at two elite private schools in Scotland and might ‘be one of the most prolific paedophiles in British criminal history’

The broadcaster, 61, (pictured as a child) said today that the teacher – who he refers to as Edgar, not his real name – was at his school Edinburgh Academy before moving on to Fettes College, the alma mater of former PM Tony Blair

It was revealed by the broadcaster yesterday that another teacher, who taught him history, abused him aged 12. 

Mr Campbell – whose voice regularly broke as he recounted his experiences on his podcast, Different – said he ‘put me – and others – over his knee in mirthful moments where, behind the laughter of the class, he’d tickle, his fingers wandering over my genitals’.

The teacher, Hamish Dawson, is now dead and was not prosecuted for any offences, he said.

When talking to Naga Munchetty today, he said his focus is now ‘Edgar’ as he can get justice for those children today. 

The broadcaster also criticised the delay in extradition of the teacher which he says has been blamed on everything from Brexit to the teacher’s age. 

He said: ‘All of those little boys in the changing room […] are being denied justice.’

He also claims that he thinks the teachers at his school, Edinburgh Academy, knew the abuse was going on given how prevalent and widespread it was known among the pupils. 

When talking to Naga Munchetty (right) today, Mr Campbell (left) said his focus is now his teacher ‘Edgar’ as he can get justice for those children today 

The broadcaster, 61, also described how, aged 12, his history teacher ‘put me – and others – over his knee in mirthful moments where, behind the laughter of the class, he’d tickle, his fingers wandering over my genitals’. Pic: Campbell aged 10 

Mr Campbell added: ‘They must have known what was going on those teachers because he was sent away for psychiatric treatment at one point. 

‘If you work it out throughout his 30 year career, the boys he must have abused and extrapolate and do the math, we’re talking 100s.’

When asked by Ms Munchetty why it has not been spoken about until now, he said: ‘I don’t know why. Maybe we were protecting our parents, maybe because it was so ubiquitous we felt it was okay.’ 

He called the man’s abuse was ‘prolific’ and claimed he was allowed to move to different schools.  

‘He got letters of reference from school to school to school to school saying how marvelous he was,’ Mr Campbell said. ‘He was sent away for psychiatric treatment at one point and then was cured six months later. 

‘And I found out in the Scottish child abuse report it is known that he abused up to half of his class at any one time, which was his modus operandi. 

‘We on the other hand knew about it and knew how prevalent it was and we just kind of accepted it because how could it be wrong?’ 

Nicky Campbell yesterday spoke for the first time about witnessing and experiencing sexual and violent physical abuse as a young schoolboy at a Scottish private school during the 1970s 

The former Watchdog presenter added he ‘couldn’t have spoken about the school’ when his mother and father ‘were alive’ because of the sacrifices they made to send him to private school. 

He also called on a change of the rules for private schools who are not subject the same safeguarding requirements as state schools.

Mr Campbell added: ‘There is no mandatory reporting in the private sector and you think now with our understanding and sensibilities he would be.

‘School’s like that fostered a culture of Omerta and not telling and keeping the secrets and these are the people who have been running the country.’

Campbell, who was born in the Scottish capital and attended Edinburgh Academy before going on to study at the University of Aberdeen, also shared his memories of being physically beaten by teachers.

A paedophile school teacher allegedly molested dozens of school boys at Edinburgh Academy (pictured) in the 70s

‘I was badly beaten up at school by a teacher who was a leading light in the scripture union,’ he told BBC 5 Live on Wednesday.

‘My mother took it as far as she could and got a grovelling apology from (the man involved), but was essentially stonewalled and it was hushed up by the school.

‘Those were different times and that has stayed with me all my life.’

Campbell, recounting the alleged abuse he saw in a changing room shower, said: ‘I cannot describe it here and I can never unsee it.

‘This man was known to us all as a predator and a sadist but we never told anyone.

‘My school friends and I talk about it now with each other with again – contempt, disbelief and incomprehension that sort of thing happened in plain sight and nothing was done.

‘And why didn’t we as little boys tell anyone in power what was happening? I don’t know.’

Campbell worked with journalist and child sex abuse victim Alex Renton to tell his story.

Nicky aged around five as a young schoolboy in Edinburgh in 1966. He said the abuse he witnessed has had a ‘profound’ effect on his life 

Speaking on his podcast, Campbell said the reason he has chosen to come forward is to bring the man to justice.

In a statement provided to the BBC, Edinburgh Academy said it ‘deeply regrets’ the alleged incidents and ‘wholeheartedly’ apologised to those involved.

‘We have worked closely with the relevant authorities including Police Scotland with their inquiries and would like to provide reassurance that things have dramatically changed since the 1970s,’ the statement read.

‘The Academy has robust measures in place to safeguard children at the school with child protection training now core to the ethos of the Academy.’

Tony Blair’s old private school Fettes College has also paid out £400,000 to a former pupil who claimed he was beaten and sexually abused by a teacher.

The school was sued by a man, known as Frank, who gave evidence to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry.

It settled damages out of court, in the first known legal victory against the prestigious Edinburgh school where boarding fees can reach £36,500.

Some 20 former pupils have raised actions for damages with more than a dozen naming the same former master and payments could total more than £15 million.

Fettes College is a private coeducational independent boarding and day school in Edinburgh, Scotland, with over two-thirds of its pupils in residence on campus

Frank claims he was ‘beaten and sexually abused’ from the age of 12 by an former-maths teacher now living in South Africa, known as Edgar.

Former pupil Frank attended Fettes Junior School and Fettes College as a day student between 1975 and 1981 and says abuse happened in the classroom.

In a statement to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, Fettes made a ‘full and unreserved apology’.

It said: ‘While words of apology may have limited worth, we fully accept and recognise in the past there was sexual, physical and emotional abuse of pupils while at Fettes College.’

NSPCC Scotland’s assistant director, Neil Mcintosh said in a statement: “It can be extremely difficult to speak out about experiencing or witnessing child sexual abuse, no matter when it took place, and Nicky Campbell has shown real courage in publicly talking about what he suffered in the very institutions that are meant to protect young people.’ 

He added: ‘It is crucial that all learnings that come out of the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry are fully taken on board by all institutions and acted upon quickly, if changes are needed.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service refused to make a comment to the Times but did say the case against the teacher living in South Africa is still active. 

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