Fife school embroiled in child abuse scandal was ‘house of horrors’ says mum of ex-pupil

The mother of a pupil at a Fife residential school has described it as “a house of horrors”.

The woman’s son John was a pupil at Starley Hall School in Burntisland in 2000 and 2001.

She told the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry that John, who died in February this year, was in fear for his life there after being physically and psychologically abused.

She said the teenager was restrained, choked and had his face rubbed in vomit.

Four men appeared at the High Court in Edinburgh in 2019, accused of physical and sexual abuse of 34 children at Starley Hall, a school for children with additional support needs.

However, all were acquitted following trial.

Despite that, Claire, a pseudonym, branded her son’s treatment at the hands of some staff “dehumanising”.

She said her concerns began before John even started at the school.

“On the day we visited one of the young boys came up to him and said ‘you don’t want to come here’,” she said.

‘Back-handers’ restraint and choking by staff

John, also a pseudonym, gave evidence in the 2019 high court case.

And the statement he gave to police about abuse at Starley Hall School was read out to the inquiry.

He was sent to Starley Hall as he had dyslexia, writing problems and poor memory.

He was labelled disruptive and placed on a supervision order.

John’s statement told how he received regular “back-handers” to the face from staff.

And an incident between him and another pupil led to staff seriously assaulting him.

“I was restrained on the floor by four members of staff,” his statement said.

“One kneed me in the ribs, which made me vomit on the floor.

“They put my head in the vomit so I couldn’t breathe.

“And I was choking on the vomit still in my mouth.”

‘Starley Hall School ruined my life’

In another incident, a teacher restricted his breathing until he blacked out.

John’s evidence told how he wrote to his mother several times, telling her what was happening to him.

However, staff did not post his letters.

In 2019, John described Starley Hall as “the place that ruined my life”.

And he added: “I want these people to be held accountable.”

House of horrors

Claire told the inquiry the result of the court case sent her son into a spiral of anxiety and depression.

She later sent a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to Fife Council asking for a Starley Hall inspection report from 1998, just two years before John attended.

It revealed some of the accommodation was neglected, resulting in registration for those parts not being approved.

It also said the number of incidents related to behaviour, accidents or bullying was a cause for concern.

“I find it beyond words that this house of horrors was allowed to exist,” Claire said.