Tony Blair's old school Fettes College pays £450,000 to former pupil who was sexually abused there

Tony Blair’s old school Fettes College has paid £450,000 to a former pupil who was abused there.   

The money awarded to the man in damages is thought to be the largest sum ever paid to a victim of historic abuse at the private school in Edinburgh.

The man, now in his 50s, was abused by a teacher. He was awarded the damages yesterday with Fettes issuing a ‘full and unreserved apology’.

He was awarded the damages on Friday and the prestigious school issued a ‘full and unreserved apology to anyone who suffered abuse’ at the school.

The abuse survivor has joined broadcaster Nicky Campbell and others in calling for the extradition from South Africa of a man known by the pseudonym ‘Edgar’ amid claims he abused children at the £40,000-a-year boarding school. 

A view of the prestigious Fettes College in Edinburgh, which has awarded a former pupil who was abused there £450,000 in damages

Tony Blair, the U.K.’s former prime minister, is a former Fettes College pupil, attending there between 1966 and 1971

Radio presenter Nicky Campbell claimed he suffered abuse during his time at Edinburgh Academy in Scotland in the 1970s

He added that he fully supported the ‘continued fight for justice by my fellow survivors’ and the campaign to ensure ‘Edgar’ is put before Scottish courts.

He said: ‘I have waited a long time for Fettes to recognise the abuse that I suffered at the hands of one of their teachers. Not just in terms of their public apology but also in the payment of damages.

‘I pursued my case against the school to ensure they fully appreciated the gravity of the harm that we suffered as children there.’

The man was represented by solicitors Thompsons. 

Laura Connor, who leads the firm’s historic abuse unit, welcomed that the school had ‘finally acknowledged the gravity of the abuse and the ongoing impact it has had on our client’.

‘It is disappointing that they took so long to do so but we are pleased to have achieved the right outcome for our client in the end,’ she said.

‘We call this historic abuse, but the truth is that survivors live with what happened to them every day of their lives.’

A Fettes spokesperson said: ‘The head of Fettes, Helen Harrison, and representatives of the board of governors attended the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry every day to listen to all the evidence.

‘It was a profoundly moving experience and we applaud the bravery of everyone who shared their stories.

‘These accounts to the inquiry, describing the abuse suffered in the 1970s, are now part of the school’s history and we must take this as an opportunity to listen, reflect and learn and we offer a full and unreserved apology to anyone who suffered abuse while at Fettes College.’

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

The school was founded by from a bequest of Sir William Fettes in 1870 and started admitting girls in 1970

The spokesperson added the school now has ‘sector-leading pastoral care’, that safeguarding is central to what it does as a school, and it is the duty of its staff to ‘play an active role in promoting the wellbeing of all our students’.

The award is the second six-figure payout the school has made to a former pupil this year.

In June, it paid £400,000 to a man, identified only as ‘Frank’, who claimed he was beaten and sexually abused by ‘Edgar’.

Earlier this year, Radio 5 Live Breakfast host Nicky Campbell claimed he had suffered abuse during his time at Edinburgh Academy in Scotland in the 1970s, with police launching an investigation in October.

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