JOHN FARRELL AND PAUL KELLY CONVICTED OF ABUSE AT FIFE, MOTHERWELL, AND PLYMOUTH CATHOLIC SCHOOL

In a landmark case that has sent shockwaves through the communities of Fife, Motherwell, and Plymouth, two former Christian Brothers have been found guilty of heinous acts of abuse committed against boys at a Catholic school during the late 1970s and early 1980s. The trial, which spanned over 15 weeks and was held at the High Court in Glasgow, culminated in a jury's verdict that convicted John Farrell, aged 73, and Paul Kelly, aged 63, of multiple counts of sexual and physical abuse.

John Farrell, who hails from Motherwell in North Lanarkshire, was convicted on three counts of indecent assault and a separate charge of physically assaulting a boy with a belt. Meanwhile, Paul Kelly, originally from Plymouth in Devon, was found guilty of four counts of indecent assault and three assault charges, including an incident where he reportedly struck a boy’s head against sinks at St Ninian’s School in Falkland, Fife. The victims, whose ages ranged from 11 to 15 at the time of the abuse, endured a series of traumatic experiences inflicted by the accused during their time at the school.

At the time of the offenses, St Ninian’s School was operated by the Christian Brothers organization and remained open until its closure in the 1980s. The allegations against Farrell and Kelly involved a disturbing pattern of physical and sexual abuse over a six-year period, with the victims recounting how they were subjected to prolonged suffering at the hands of the Brothers. The trial initially included charges against three other staff members—Edward Egan, aged 77; Michael Murphy, aged 75; and William Don, aged 61—who were indicted but ultimately had their charges dropped.

Both Farrell and Kelly were remanded into custody immediately following their convictions, with sentencing scheduled for the following month. The investigation into these abuses was led by Chief Inspector Nicola Shepherd, who emphasized the gravity of the crimes. She stated, “For a number of years, these men, who were placed in a position of trust, carried out prolonged abuse on a significant number of vulnerable young people. They betrayed that trust in the most despicable manner possible and subjected their victims to years of suffering. It is thanks to the courage of those who came forward to provide us with vital information that we were able to bring Farrell and Kelly to justice for their crimes.”

The trial, presided over by Lord Matthews, was part of one of the most extensive abuse investigations ever conducted by Police Scotland, highlighting the scale and severity of the misconduct that took place at St Ninian’s School in Falkland, Fife, and the wider implications for safeguarding in such institutions.