INVESTIGATIONS INTO HISTORIC abuse at Pluscarden Abbey have been dropped with Police Scotland saying there was insufficient evidence to proceed.
The decision has caused anger and dismay for members of a support group who say they were approached for help by a man who had suffered historic abuse at the Moray monastery.
Concerns were raised by a member of the support group ‘White Followers Alba’, Andi Lavery, in August last year.
Mr Lavery, who claimed he himself was abused at the former Roman Catholic boarding school in Fort Augustus, said the group had been approached by “several men” who told him how they were abused as children at Pluscarden in the 1960’s and 1980’s.
Following the complaint Police Scotland said that they would investigate, saying “Anyone who has been a victim of abuse can come forward in confidence, knowing that we will listen and we will investigate.”
This week that initial investigation was ended with a statement from Police Scotland that said: “The investigation regarding the report of non-recent sexual abuse at Pluscarden Abbey in Moray has concluded.
“The case has been closed pending any further information. Child abuse is a complex, challenging area of policing and we owe it to all those affected, whether now or in the past, to thoroughly investigate each and every report we receive.
“If anyone is or has been the victim of child abuse then we encourage them to come forward in the knowledge that we will listen and we will investigate.”
Last night Mr Lavery expressed his dismay at the police statement – and in particular that he was told of the decision by a reporter rather than the police themselves. He insisted: “This is not over, we will not give up trying to get justice for these men.”