The
Scottish Sunday Mail has exclusively reported that former residents of Kerelaw are to battle for £8M compensation. The report by Norman Silvester and Marion Scott states:
Children abused at scandal-hit Kerelaw residential school could get up to £8million compensation, the Sunday Mail can reveal. Glasgow City Council, who ran the school until March, have been hit by a flood of claims following the convictions of art teacher Matthew George, 57, and care worker John Muldoon, 53.
Around 160 abuse victims are expected to claim and it is believed the average payout could be around £50,000.
All 38 victims who gave evidence at George and Muldoon's trial last month are expected to sue along with a further 120 who were interviewed by the police but not called to court ...
.... George, of Largs, Ayrshire, was jailed for 10 years after being convicted of 18 charges of abuse at Kerelaw, Stevenston
A Glasgow City Council spokesman said: "Eight people have filed claims for compensation. Each case will be considered on its merits and the money for any compensation payment or legal costs will come from existing budgets." The council also face compensation claims from around 20 former Kerelaw staff who were sacked or suspended as a result of the abuse inquiry and feel they were wrongfully accused. One stumbling block could be that many victims' claims are technically time-barred as under Scots Law, a compensation claim must be filed within three years of the incident taking place. Some of the Kerelaw cases date back to the late 1970s. Solicitor Cameron Fyfe is launching a joint action for 20 Kerelaw victims. He said: "It's clear that many lives have been devastated by decades of abuse at this school and any compensation award must reflect this."
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