Scottish Daily Express – Anna Savva
A former Edinburgh teacher accused by BBC presenter Nicky Campbell and others of abuse has appeared in court in South Africa.
The 83-year-old, who cannot be named, was charged with committing an indecent act with a minor, and indecent assault at a boys primary school in Cape Town in 1988.
He attended a sexual offences office near Claremont Police Station, in Cape Town, on Monday morning, the BBC reports. It is understood that he has since appeared at Wynberg Magistrates Court charged with indecent assault.
It comes after BBC presenter Campbell, who attended Edinburgh Academy, appeared as one of a number of former pupils at the school who have made allegations of sexual and physical abuse against the OAP.
The broadcaster, 61, broke his silence last year to reveal the alleged sexual and physical abuse at the Edinburgh Academy, which had a “profound effect on my life” he said.
Campbell also told BBC Radio 5 Live: “I was badly beaten up at school by a teacher who was a leading light in the scripture union. My mother took it as far as she could and got a grovelling apology from [the man involved], but was essentially stonewalled and it was hushed up by the school. Those were different times and that has stayed with me all my life.”
The Scot TV personality also discussed witnessing more serious sexual abuse, allegedly enacted on his school-mates at the hands of another man at the institution who has not been named.
Edinburgh Academy abuse scandal
And after a documentary about the educator aired in South Africa, a male victim came forward to claim he was also abused by Edgar at a school in Cape Town in the 1980s.
He denies the claims against him and has been released pending a further hearing after handing over his passport.
South African authorities approved a UK extradition request for Edgar in 2020 but there have been a series of delays to an appeal of this decision by the suspect. A hearing is due to be held in March.
BBC 5 Live presenter Nicky was a 10-year-old pupil at his prestigious former school when he says he saw Edgar molesting a classmate. Nicky came forward about the alleged abuse, which took place in the 1970s, last July.
It prompted complaints from other former pupils of Edinburgh Academy, as well as Fettes College where Edgar later taught. In December, a man who said he was abused by the former teacher at Fettes College in the 1970s was awarded £450,000 in damages.