SCOTLAND
Herald Scotland
Stephen Naysmith
John Swinney says comments made by the chair of the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, Susan O’Brien QC, would have been inexplicable to abuse survivors.
He began proceedings to terminate her appointment having heard from an expert that these comments were incompatible with her role.
At the first hearing what Ms O’Brien’s said does sound alarming. She appeared to minimise the offence of a teacher who had been found guilty of indecent exposure. She says this was not her intention when she apparently advanced the suggestion that the teacher may just have had a hole in his trousers.
But the teacher was found guilty, say her detractors – which is true. But he was never convicted, says the legal counsel to the inquiry – which, bizarrely is also true. In the case in question, despite the guilty verdicts, a judge granted the culprit an absolute discharge.
Ms O’Brien’s other controversial comment was to report – but not to endorse – the opinion of one survivor that the experience of abuse at boarding school was “the best thing that ever happened to [them]”.
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