Pair Charged with Sex Abuse at Former Falkland School in 1970s and 1980s

By Graeme Ogston
The Courier
July 10, 2014

http://www.thecourier.co.uk/news/local/fife/pair-charged-with-sex-abuse-at-former-falkland-school-in-1970s-and-1980s-1.464558

Two men have appeared in court accused of a string of historical physical and sexual abuse charges at a Catholic school in Fife.

Paul Kelly and John Farrell face a total of 57 charges between them, allegedly committed at the former St Ninian’s School in Falkland between 1978 and 1983.

Kelly, 61, of Plymouth, and Farrell, 71, of Newarthill, Motherwell, appeared separately in private at Dundee Sheriff Court on Wednesday. Both made no plea or declaration.

Prosecutors allege they carried out a series of sexual and physical assaults on children.

Kelly faces eight charges of indecent assault, two sexual assaults and seven charges of using lewd, indecent and libidinous practices and behaviour.

He is also accused of committing nine assaults on young boys, including dragging one boy to a river and forcing his head underwater.

Kelly is also accused of three charges of having an “unnatural carnal connection” with boys at the school.

One charge alleges he forced a boy to watch while he sexually assaulted other pupils. The charge further accuses Kelly of forcing other pupils to have sex with the boy.

Farrell faces six charges of assault, nine of indecent assault and two of sexual assault.

He is further accused of six acts of using lewd, indecent and libidinous practices and behaviour and two of having an unnatural carnal connection with boys at the school.

One of the charges alleges he knocked a 13-year-old boy unconscious before sexually abusing him.

The case was continued for further examination and both men were released on bail by Sheriff Elizabeth Munro.

Four other men appeared at Dundee Sheriff Court last week over allegations of abuse at the school.

Edward Egan, 76, Michael Murphy, 74, Timothy Foxall, 63, and William Don, 60, face a total of eleven charges covering a four-year period between 1979 and 1983.

They also made no plea or declaration when they appeared on petition before Sheriff Tom Hughes and were released on bail.

St Ninian’s School was run by the Irish Christian Brothers and closed in the early 1980s.