A Scot who says he was subjected to physical and sexual abuse at a residential school in Fife during the 1970s has spent the second of two days campaigning outside Holyrood.
David Sharp who was resident at the former St Ninian’s School in Falkland during the 1970s, is demanding a public inquiry into institutional abuse in Scotland.
Returning to Scotland for the first time in years, he stood outside the main entrance to the Scottish Parliament for two days in the rain with placards demanding that there is a full investigation into what went on at St Ninian’s and other homes which have been linked to physical and sexual child abuse.
One placard read: “Never mind the referendum Look after your children first.”
Mr Sharp, 55, said: “I’ve stood here from 8am to 4pm in the rain. I’ve had members of the public coming up to me offering verbal support. I’ve been campaigning for 25 years but this is my first step towards making the Scottish Government aware that victims will not go away. I want the Scottish public to be aware.”
Mr Sharp said: “The response has been incredible.“I’ve had so many people, around 20/30, in touch today alone who all say they were abused at different homes across Scotland. They all say they contacted their MSPs but have heard nothing back.”
Mr Sharp said he had so far been disappointed at the level of interest from politicians but said he would “never give up”.
He added: “I’ve sought legal advice and am also investigating taking my case to the European Court of Human Rights. I’ve been advised this is the way to go and that I have a very strong case. ”
Mr Sharp, who has described the catalogue of abuse as “Scotland’s shame”, has claimed he was abused at St Ninian’s run by the Irish Christian Brothers from the age of 10 by a now deceased man he knew as Christina Brother Ryan.
Mr Sharp, originally from Glasgow and now living in England, also told how he was trafficked to Ireland to be abused by up to five men.
Now he is demanding a full national inquiry into all institutional abuse across Scotland and wants the Government to waive the three-year time bar on civil cases to allow victims like him to have their voices heard in court.
Six men with links to a notorious Irish Catholic brotherhood have been arrested and charged in connection with multiple allegations of child abuse at St Ninian’s during the 1970s and 1980s.