FURY OVER PERVERT PROF’S UNI BOASTS
Inquiryy finds that lecturer spoke of his close ties to management
A professor who sexually abused students boasted of a “personal relationship” with his university principal, an inquiry has found.
But an investigation into how Kevin O’Gorman’s conduct was not challenged has distanced Strathclyde University’s Sir Jim McDonald from the academic. McDonald ordered the independent inquiry following O’Gorman’s conviction last year. The investigation by Craig Sandison QC last week cleared the university chief of any fai l ings. But col leagues at the Glasgow campus have labelled claims that McDonald was only “vaguely aware” of O’Gorman as “preposterous”.
O’Gorman, 47, t aug ht management at Strathclyde between 2005 and 2012. He was a member of its senate and court, which has 24 members.
Witnesses interviewed by Sandison’s team said O’Gorman often spoke of his connections.
The inquiry found there was “various instances of O’Gorman having portrayed himself as someone of power and influence in the university, including affecting to enjoy close personal relationships with the principal”.
An internal Strathclyde University probe began in 2011 when a parent complained about O’Gorman’s behaviour towards his son. The findings said McDonald was only “vaguely aware of O’Gorman through his membership of senate and court” in 2011.
McDonald gave O’Gorman an official warning instead of sacking him, which the inquiry said was the correct decision.
O’Gorman left during the disciplinary process with a pay- off of more than £ 40,000 and landed a post at HeriotWatt University in Edinburgh.
Last week, one of O’Gorman’s victims, Fraser Blevins, labelled the report a “whitewash”.
Kayla-Megan Burns, Strathclyde Students’ Union president, said: “So much more should be done than just the recommendations of this report.”
Strathclyde University provided a statement from McDonald that said: “Our thoughts remain with the victims. We regret deeply that they suffered as a result of O’Gorman’s unacceptable behaviour.”
O’Gorman was sentenced to community service for abusing seven men at Strathclyde and Heriot-Watt between 2006 and 2017.