A guy who was subjected to heinous abuse at a Catholic boarding school in Scotland has been awarded a staggering £1.4 million in damages.
Religious brothers John Farrell, Paul Kelly, and Gerard Ryan sexually abused the 54-year-old, known only as AB.
According to Mail Online, the incident occurred during a 14-month period while he was boarding at St Ninian’s School in Falkland, which was managed by the Christian Brothers, a religious teaching order within the Catholic Church.
All three teachers raped, assaulted, and abused AB. During their attacks, they would frequently play David Bowie’s song Ashes to Ashes.
At the All Scotland Sheriff Personal Injury Court, the Christian Brothers attempted to have the legal case against them dismissed. But Sheriff Christopher Dickson dismissed the attempt and ordered them to pay damages of £1.39million.
It is thought to be the biggest payment ever given to a survivor of abuse.
In 2016, Farrell was found guilty of four counts of child abuse and sentenced to five years in prison, while Kelly was found guilty of six counts and sentenced to ten years in prison. Ryan died in 2013, before any investigation could be conducted into his death.
AB stated, ‘Finally, after 40 years, I’ve been recognized, and those responsible may be held accountable.’
‘It was horrifying yet empowering,’ he added of speaking with the cops. It’s exhausting, but it’s also liberating. It was painful, but it was also healing. I’ll always be aware of the discomfort. However,
Judge Lady Smith condemned the institution as a “place of torture and deprivation” in a decision from the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry last year. She concluded that children had been subjected to physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, calling the evidence “distressing.”
‘We’re not aware of any bigger monies ever being granted to a survivor, so this settlement is certainly a landmark one,’ said Kim Leslie of law firm Digby Brown.