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"Is He a Forgotten Victim?': Calls for Probe into Death of Teenager at St Ninian's School Amid Abuse Fears

By James Moncur
Daily Record
October 19, 2016

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/calls-probe-teenager-who-died-9072713

St.Ninians child abuse victim Dave Sharp has called for a probe into death of Alexander Harvey

POLICE are being urged to launch a new probe into the death of a teenager at a notorious care home.

Alexander Harvey died at St Ninian’s School, in Fife, in 1960. His death was blamed on injuries he had received in a boxing match.

The 14-year-old’s death was never fully investigated but rumours have circulated in the village of Falkland that Alexander may have been the victim of abuse.

Schoolmates claim he could be a “forgotten victim” of violence at the Christian Brothers home, which has been at the centre of a historic scandal.

A former St Ninians pupil has now demanded a full inquiry to discover the truth.

Dave Sharp, who has campaigned for years to expose the brutality at the heart of the school, said: “Over the years it has become quite clear that many sinister things happened at St Ninians and that a full inquiry should be made to discover what happened to Alexander.

“When I gave my original statement to the police, I started hearing from other victims. His name came up and I do remember taking a call from someone who told me the death of Alexander had troubled him for years.

Gravestone of Alexander Harvey

“This poor boy does not deserve to be buried in a grave near this hellhole – he certainly does not deserve to be buried in a grave with a Christian Brother below him and a Christian Brother above him.”

Alexander is buried between Richard Fitton, who died at Falkland aged 75 in 1958, and John Nugent, who died aged 78 in 1977.

According to a registrar’s report signed at the procurator fiscal’s office in Cupar on March 3, 1961, Alexander died “shortly after having engaged in a boxing match under supervision at said orphanage”.

Dave said this was unusual, adding: “There was no boxing when I was at the school and I never heard of any boxing ever taking place.

“The brothers beat most of us black and blue – it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that one of those beatings could have gone too far.”

St Ninians’ dark past was laid bare this year when former teacher Paul Kelly, 64, and head teacher John Farrell, 73, were jailed for 10 years and five years at the High Court in Glasgow after being found guilty of sexual and physical abuse between 1979 and 1983.

Further allegations not heard in court have been made about physical and sexual abuse dating back to the 60s.

A Falkland businessman said: “There’s been a lot of speculation about what happened to Alexander.

“Is he a forgotten victim from the abuse we’ve seen recently in court?”

Councillor David MacDiarmid backed Dave’s call for a new investigation.

He said: “1960 was a long time ago but you have to imagine if such a death occurred today, it would be, at least, national news.”

St Ninians closed in 1983 and is now Falkland House School, which has no link to the Christian Brothers.

 

 

 

 

 




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