Six men cleared of historic abuse at school for disadvantaged boys

Six men have been cleared of all charges having been accused of historical abuse at a school for disadvantaged boys.

The group had faced a series of allegations in connection with the Melville House establishment in Cupar, Fife.

Four of the men were residential social workers with two of them teachers there.

The accusations on the original 17-page indictment included claims of physical violence, cruel and unnatural treatment and breach of the peace spanning between 1979 and 1998.

Two of the men were also charged with indecent assault.

They were all acquitted following a seven-week trial at the High Court in Glasgow.

Steven Cowan, 66, was cleared of a total of 50 charges, Colin Anderson, 75, nine, William Smurthwaite, 66, the 13 he faced, Robert Duncan, 57, four allegations, Ronald Morton, 72, five accusations and John Haney, 69, the three alleged against him.

Jurors returned a vast majority of not guilty verdicts following several days of deliberations.

Lord Scott told them: “You have each been acquitted by verdict of the jury and are all now free to leave.”

The men – some who became emotional – were hugged by family and friends after they left the courtroom.

The six had all denied the allegations that they had faced.

The trial occurred following a massive probe into abuse accusations.

Prosecutors had led evidence from a large number of witnesses who had been at Melville House as boys.

Some had since passed away and their testimony was taken by way of a police statement.

Many of the then boys had troubled upbringings.

It was alleged the men had preyed on children they were “entrusted to care and support.”

There were accusations of regular “casual violence” doled out against boys at Melville House.

Jurors heard a series of alleged ordeals at the school.

This included one then boy said to have been left “purple in the face” while apparently being restrained.

Another claimed he had been attacked and “made to feel that you deserved it”.

One alleged victim stated how memories of Melville House came flooding back after accessing his social work records while preparing to write a book on his experiences.

Another witness said: “It was bad enough looking after yourself with 50 boys in there without getting hassle from the staff.”

Jurors were told it was accepted boys at Melville House were not “perfect”.

One accepted reacting to staff claiming: “If you treat a dog bad, it ends up biting you.”

The six accused – all hailing from Fife – denied all accusations. Jurors heard evidence from them that they got on well with the boys and did their best to help them.