Former priest won’t face abuse trial
A former priest who was extradited to Scotland from Canada to face historical child abuse charges will no longer stand trial, prosecutors have confirmed.
Father Robert Mackenzie, 87, had been accused of committing offences at two Catholic boarding schools.
The 18 charges involved allegations of physical and sexual abuse at Fort Augustus Abbey in the Highlands and Carlekemp Preparatory School in North Berwick between 1955 and 1988.
Fr Mackenzie had denied the allegationsanditisunderstood he planned to plead not guilty when the case came to trial
However, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) has confirmed there will should be no further proceedings.
Oneofthecomplainers,david Walls, told BBC Scotland that he asked for the decision to be reviewed but it was upheld and the charges against Fr Mackenzie have been withdrawn.
Mr Walls said: "My gut reaction is very complex. Disappointment, to put it mildly. I'm disappointed in the justice system, because justice isn't about putting criminals behind bars, as much as it is for delivering the truth for the victims of the alleged crimes.
Edinburgh-born Fr Mackenzie taught at Carlekemp during two spells between the 1950s and 1970s, and was a teacher andhousemasteratfortaugustus between 1977 and 1988.
He worked in Saskatchewan before retiring in Canada and was flown to Scotland after a warrant was issued for his arrest in 2017.
Fr Mackenzie denied the allegations. He was sent to Scotland in 2020 and held in custodybefore he was released on bail in March 2021.
In a statement, COPFS said it would not be appropriate to
giveitsreasonsfordroppingthe charges "to respect the rights of allofthoseinvolvedinthecase."
Theprocuratorfiscalforhigh Court Sexual Offences Fraser Gibson said: "This has been a complex investigation and the
Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service appreciates that it has been a difficult time for all those involved. Following a detailed review of the facts and circumstances of the case, proceedings are now at an end."
Allegations that children sufferedsexualandphysicalabuse at Fort Augustus and Carlekemp first emerged in a BBC documentary in 2013.