Survivor calls for inquiry extension

An inquiry into the abuse of children in care in Scotland should be extended to include victims at state schools, MSPS have heard.

Speaking to the Scottish Parliament’s Petitions Committee, campaigner Mar yanne Pugley said by excluding victims, the pain caused would be compounded and passed on to the next generation. Ms Pugsley has also called for a review of the law of corroboration, which means two separate sources of evidence are needed for a case to go to trial.

Speaking of her own expe - riences, Ms Pugley told MSPS she was “sexually and emo - tionally abused” by a teacher in a state school in Scotland between the ages of 12 to 15 in the late 1970s. She said it was not until the 1990s, when she was in her mid-20s, that she realised that what she had experienced was child abuse.

After the case was reported to the local authority, an in-house investigation was launched, although it was not reported to police.

Ms Pugley said the accused was suspended for a few months before being moved to another local authority, where he continued to teach until around six to seven years ago.