Johannesburg - Criminologists Marcus Felson and Lawrence E. Cohen proposed that many people have the potential to offend but do not.
They posit that people found guilty of or accused of sexual assault against children have long let go of external inhibitors , which guides how a society operates.
American sociologist, David Finkelhor, known for his research into child sexual abuse, speaks of four preconditions to child sexual abuse and describes a process that involves the development of a motivation to abuse, the overcoming of conscience, the avoidance or manipulation of potential protectors and the grooming and abuse of the child.
This week, Women and Men Against Child Abuse (WMACA) ramped up efforts for the extradition of a former South African teacher, Iain Wares, to the UK, where he faces 84 counts of sexual assaults against young boys aged nine and 10 then.
The allegations were levelled by 42 of Wares’ former students, who are now all in their 60s.
The 83-year-old stands accused of sexually and physically abusing learners during his tenure as an educator in Scotland during the 1960s and 1970s. The Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (SCAI) is investigating the abuse of children in schools, and Wares is a person of interest.
BBC Radio recently launched an investigation into predatory teachers at elite schools in Britain who have been abusing children for decades and seemingly got away with it. The list of schools being investigated includes Edinburgh Academy and Fettes College, where Wares taught. He also taught at the Western Province Preparatory School (WPPS), St George’s Grammar School, and Rondebosch Boys’ Preparatory School between 1980 and 2006.
Wares, a former maths teacher and rugby coach, has been likened to the late UK TV personality Jimmy Savile, who, after his death in 2011, had more than 450 reports of child sexual abuse surface against him.
To date, 42 survivors of Wares’ abuse at Edinburgh Academy and Fettes College made police complaints. Here at home, WMACA has been approached by some of Wares’ former learners, but that investigation is at a sensitive stage, and further details are not available.
Well-known British journalist Nicky Campbell (now 61) was a learner at Edinburgh Academy in the 1970s and spoke publicly about how he witnessed Wares allegedly sexually and physically abusing several of his schoolmates. Campbell wasn’t a victim of Wares, but he was sexually assaulted by another teacher at the school, who is now deceased. Campbell went on record to say that he saw Wares touch his 10-year-old friend’s penis in one of the school changing rooms which progressed into a full-on masturbation.
Fettes College admitted that children were abused at the school between 1930 and 2014, and there are several cases pending between the school and former learners who claim that they were abused there. One of the cases was settled out of court, and the survivor was paid more than £400 000.00 in compensation.
Speaking to Independent Media from Gloucester, Scotland, Neil Douglas, one of Wares’ alleged abuse survivors from Edinburgh Academy, said initially, their plea fell on deaf ears. Douglas trained as a Baptist minister and flying instructor.
“The Crown Office said it was not in the public interest. I suspect that many of the lawmakers attended those schools and probably have children at the same schools. It started slow, and there were just six of us then. Even though it's in the public space now, condemning abuse is not the same as owning it,” he said.
Douglas is married now and is a father and grandfather but admits that he still struggles with physical contact.
“Crowded places are difficult. On planes, I sit near the aisles, so I don’t have to touch people or be touched. I was 50 years old when I first allowed a stranger to hug me. It’s particularly difficult with men. It’s, of course, different with family. I made it a policy to remove the barriers with my family,” he said.
Douglas said it has been healing, and he’s rid of the secret and takes some comfort in the fact that someone else has said, “Me too.”
Wares returned to South Africa and continued teaching at WPPS, St George’s Grammar School, and Rondebosch Boys’ Prep throughout the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s before eventually retiring in 2006. He was arrested in 2019 after the Crown Office (Scotland’s prosecuting authority) issued a warrant for his arrest.
In his initial affidavit written in 2019, Wares admitted to having inappropriate urges to touch young boys early in his career. He also admitted to sexually assaulting boys repeatedly over the 11 years that he taught at Edinburgh Academy and Fettes College. But in a supplementary affidavit written in 2022, Wares claimed he was ill-advised at the time of his initial affidavit and retracted all previous claims. The Department of Justice granted an extradition order in 2022, but that is now under appeal. It has been seven years since the process for extradition started.
Department of Justice spokesperson Crispin Phiri said extraditions don't have specific time frames, and often, they are protracted by various court challenges.
“Mr Wares appealed the high court ruling. Mr Wares challenged the constitutionality of the section 10 order, where the minister handed him over to the requesting state. We are awaiting the appeal court's view on whether it will hear the matter,” he said.
Chairperson of the SGB at Rondebosch Boys Prep, Alex Pinnoch, said according to the school’s available records, no complaint was filed against Wares for any misconduct during his time at the school. Rondebosch Boys’ is a government school, and the Western Cape Education Department said it’s aware of the “concerning and serious allegations”.
Western Cape Education Department spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said the allegations were brought to their attention by Carte Blanche last year.
“Our Head of Department wrote to the principal indicating that due to the nature of the allegations, and the potential of a past victim having been at the school, that he was appealing to the school that, should any individual approach the school directly with information, the school should please advise them to report this information to the South African Police Service (SAPS)”, she said.
“These allegations are serious, and any possible instances of abuse at your school in the past must be investigated by the necessary criminal authorities so that justice can be served,” the letter read.
Senior Partner and head of litigation at Eversheds Sutherland, Peter van Niekerk, said there is sufficient proof that Wares is healthy and mentally fit to stand trial. He added that there are sufficient papers and information which show Wares committed extraditable offences.
“He’s alive and well. He is even questioning why this is happening now. He made representations to the minister admitting to the abuse in graphic detail,” van Niekerk said.
Founding Member and Senior Director at WMACA, Miranda Jordan, did not mince her words when she expressed her frustration at the extradition delays.
“Sex offenders deserve the kind of hell they’ve condemned those children and adults to. Wares admitted in an affidavit that he likes touching boys. He masturbated them. He fondled their testicles. He cupped their buttocks. He touched their anuses,” she said.
Head of Advocacy at WMACA, Luke Lamprecht, said the sexualisation of children is not in line with their development and expressed contempt that Wares was allowed to continue teaching after he left the UK in the 1980s when the allegations first surfaced.
“Institutions released this man onto boys and allowed him to continue his abuse. Even the mental health fraternity failed. They just passed him along. There is much secrecy at many organisations when it comes to protecting their integrity. SA needs to send a strong message. To Wares, I say you are requesting compassion for you and your family, but you have given none to the people you abused,” he said.
WMACA also called on agencies dealing with sexual offenders to do more before they ignore external inhibitors and commit abuses.
Wares’ next extradition hearing is set for October.