Five councillors admit health and safety charges over near-drowning at Kilmarnock pool
Kilmarnock Sheriff Court heard Mr Deans was a member of the Kilmarnock Jets swimming club which was taking part in a session at the Galleon when he got into difficulty.CCTV showed he had been submerged for nearly two minutes before volunteers raised the alarm.Services at the centre had been provided by the Kilmarnock Leisure Centre Trust which has since been dissolved.Its trustees included SNP members Leitch, Linton and Maitland, plus Conservative councillor Adams and Labour representative Douglas.In a separate incident at the centre in 2019, trustees were fined £10,000 after a six-year-old girl nearly drowned in the same pool.
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BBC News
8 minutes ago
- BBC News
Children lived in 'state of fear' at Keil school
Children at a former boarding school in the west of Scotland lived in a "permanent state of fear" from extreme abuse that often amounted to "torture", an inquiry has teachers and older pupils at Keil School, Dumbarton, subjected boys - and later girls - to beating, mocking and sexual abuse over five the 1980s and 1990s the offenders included William Bain - who sexually abused boys "on an almost daily basis" - and "predatory paedophile" David findings were published by Lady Smith, who is chairing the Scottish Child Abuse inquiry. In her summary, she said: "Protection of the reputation of the school was prioritised over the interests of children; that was a disgraceful abdication of responsibility."Evidence was heard from former pupils, staff and a trustee at the school, which closed in 2000. The making of a 'tough school' In the aftermath of World War Two, Keil School attempted to grow in the Smith said the goal depended on having enough fee-paying pupils but was "never met".She said that inadequate funding was an ever-present issue and one that "impacted negatively on life at the school".As a result, she said daily tasks were delegated to pupils as a "cost-saving measure" and it was assumed that they could be trusted to look after the welfare of other chairwoman said this was a "serious mistake".Lady Smith said Keil became a "tough school" where boys were expected to endure violence and suffer in added: "Strong, successful rugby players usually had a happy existence, but it was tough for others such as, for example, the aesthete, the thinker, the actor, the musician, the quieter individual, or the child who liked individual sports." Abusive practices became normalised in the late 1950s and remained so until the inquiry also found sexual abuse continued into the older boys were expected to discipline younger ones "created a risk of bullying and abuse".Physical abuse ranged from "peeching" - using a plimsoll to administer beatings - to the withholding of report said boys also had their hands put over flames or boiling kettles in "what can only be described as torture".Daily emotional abuse by mocking was common and personal property was likely to be damaged or Smith said: "Some children lived in a permanent state of fear, made worse by the knowledge that staff were not interested or likely to intervene." Employers 'not warned' The West Dunbartonshire school became co-educational in 1978 and the report found girls were then sexually abused by teachers and Smith said the risk of this was heightened by the school having failed to provide girls with secure accommodation or adequate oversight of their boarding abuse practices softened following the appointment of John Cummings as headmaster in sexual abuse continued, notably by teachers William Bain and David Gutteridge, in the late 1980s and throughout the inquiry found a parent raised concern's about Bain's behaviour early it was allowed to persist after an "inadequate" investigation and a cover up by headmaster Christopher Tongue and other senior who taught physics, was jailed in 2016 for sexually abusing five boys, and was released in 2020. He was arrested again following evidence given at the child abuse June, Bain was sentenced to another nine years in prison for the sexual abuse of 11 boys over a 21-year period at several Scottish private schools. Last year Gutteridge was jailed for 17 months for abusing a boy after luring him to a beauty spot during the 1990 summer holidays, a move Lady Smith described as "carefully engineered".He was hired as an English teacher after abusing a boy while he taught in London in the 1980s - a crime for which he was only convicted in report also notes that the Keil School housemaster Ian Graham "stands out and is remembered for his sadistic brutality".Lady Smith said he conducted mass beatings and used the belt "excessively" and "in situations where corporal punishment was never merited". Overall, she called the school's employment practices "deficient"."Teachers known to have abused children were not disciplined," the report said. "Unsuitable staff were allowed to move on with supportive references. "Prospective employers were not warned when they should have been."The report also noted that the abuse at Keil School was similar "in many respects" to abuse at other boarding included Loretto School, Morrison's Academy, Gordonstoun, Queen Victoria School, Merchiston Castle School, and the boarding schools run by two male religious orders, the Benedictines and the Marist behind the abuse were also similar such as staff who lacked skills and training, inappropriate recruitment policies, insufficient oversight of pupils and teachers and powers being given to older inquiry continues.
The Independent
38 minutes ago
- The Independent
Scottish Labour MSP Colin Smyth arrested and charged over indecent images
MSP Colin Smyth has been arrested and charged in connection with possession of indecent images, prompting his suspension from Scottish Labour. The South Scotland MSP was arrested on Tuesday and is due to appear in court at a later date. He was first elected as an MSP in 2016 and returned to Holyrood again at the 2021 election. The Scottish Parliament website now lists him as an Independent. A spokesperson for Police Scotland said: 'On Tuesday, August 5, 2025, officers executed a warrant at a property on Marchfield Avenue, Dumfries. 'A 52-year-old man was arrested and charged in connection with possession of indecent images. He is due to appear at Dumfries Sheriff Court at a later date.' A spokesman for Scottish Labour said: 'The whip has been removed from Colin Smyth MSP, pending an investigation. 'We cannot comment further on this matter while the investigation is ongoing.' It is understood the MSP was administratively suspended by Labour after the party became aware of the police investigation.
The Sun
38 minutes ago
- The Sun
Senior Scots Labour MSP charged over ‘possessing indecent child images' and suspended by party
A SENIOR Scottish Labour MSP has been suspended by the party after he was charged in connection with possessing 'indecent child images'. Colin Smyth - a former general secretary of the party - was arrested on August 5 in Dumfries before being charged by cops and later released. 1 The 52-year-old is due to appear at Dumfries Sheriff Court at a later date. A Police Scotland spokesperson said: 'On Tuesday, 5 August, 2025, officers executed a warrant at a property on Marchfield Avenue, Dumfries. 'A 52-year-old man was arrested and charged in connection with possession of indecent images. He is due to appear at Dumfries Sheriff Court at a later date.' Mr Smyth told The Scottish Sun: "These events have come as a shock and this is a deeply stressful time. I am obviously cooperating fully with any inquiries and hope the matter can be resolved quickly. "I am not able to comment further at this stage, and in the meantime I would ask that my family and friends are given privacy.' He has since been suspended by Labour, and is now listed as an independent on the Scottish Parliament website. Social media posts show Mr Smyth continued to campaign after his arrest, including visiting the Scottish Pension Forum and the National Farmer's Union Scotland. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar also posted a video including Mr Smyth on social media on August 7. Scottish Labour HQ said it was currently not in a position to comment. Mr Smyth, a married father, lives in the Dumfries area. Alex Salmond niece bombshell: Why is cowardly Nicola putting our family through this He became an MSP in 2016 and has since held several frontbench positions. He has also been removed from Scottish Labour list of MSPs on their own website. Under Richard Leonard's leadership, he served as transport spokesman for the party and became constitution and external affairs spokesman under Mr Sarwar's leadership. Before being elected to Holyrood, he was a Dumfries and Galloway councillor. He was general secretary at Scottish Labour HQ between 2008 and 2012. Scottish Labour sources said Mr Smyth was suspended after the party was made aware of the police investigation. A Labour Party spokesperson said: "The whip has been removed from Colin Smyth MSP, pending an investigation. "We cannot comment further on this matter while the investigation is ongoing." A Crown Office spokesperson said: 'A standard prosecution report has been received by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service from Police Scotland in relation to a 52-year-old man.'
