An 83-year-old former South African maths teacher and rugby coach, Iain Wares who is wanted in the United Kingdom to face sexual abuse charges, is expected to make an appearance at the Wynberg Magistrate Court to face similar charges in South Africa.
This will mark his first court appearance following claims by a Cape Town man that Wares sexually and physically abused him when he was in Grade 7 at the Rondebosch Boys Prep in 1988 in Cape Town.
The South African man whose identity has not been revealed, has appealed to other men who may have been abused by Wares during his years at the school to come forward, and contact Women and Men Against Child Abuse (WMACA) .
Wares is wanted in the UK for abusing dozens of boys, and is currently fighting extradition in a high-profile case to face charges in Scotland.
The UK’s extradition request for Wares to appear in court in Scotland was approved by SA in 2020, although he has appealed. The BBC reported that he faces seven charges – “six of lewd, indecent and libidinous practices and behaviour and one of indecent assault”.
Wares, a former maths teacher and rugby coach, was named in the House of Commons in the UK last week after leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) Ian Blackford used parliamentary privilege to name the alleged sex predator.
It was argued that Wares should not be afforded the protection of his pseudonym in the press, which was "Edgar" as the matter was in the public interest.
Women and Men Against Child Abuse (WMACA) said it remained deeply concerned that Wares was arrested in 2019 and was allowed to await the extradition outcome at home in South Africa, rather than in prison, “which is not the norm”.
It has been widely reported in the UK that while teaching at Edinburgh Academy, Wares admitted he had "urges to touch the students inappropriately and on occasion I did so".
According to reports, court documents revealed that Wares decided to travel to the UK in 1967 for psychiatric treatment for his "problems". While there, he spent three months at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital before being discharged and obtaining a diploma in education at Moray House College the following year.
He then took up a post at the private Edinburgh Academy and was married in 1970.
In 1973 he was appointed as a primary school teacher at Fettes Junior College where he said his inappropriate behaviour continued.
According to court documents, he said that he had returned to hospital for further treatment, "for my drinking and inappropriate behaviour."
“In 1979, when a pupil complained about him, he said he admitted the behaviour and agreed to leave the college. There was nothing reported to authorities and no formal processes to hold him accountable,” said Miranda Jordan, Founding Director of WMACA.
BBC Broadcaster Nicky Campbell, is one of many former pupils to have made an allegation against him. Campbell was at Edinburgh Academy, a prestigious private school in Scotland.
Wares is alleged to have sexually assaulted four boys at the Edinburgh Academy between 1969 and 1973, and three boys at Fettes College between 1974 and 1976. He is said to have then returned to South Africa to continue teaching.
The ages of the boys mentioned ranged from seven to 14.
Fettes College has since issued a “full and unreserved apology to anyone who suffered abuse” at the school. Edinburgh Academy has previously apologised to anyone who suffered abuse and insists it now has robust safeguarding measures in place.
The former teacher is believed to now be living in a gated retirement community in Cape Town. His extradition appeal is due to be heard by judges in the Western Cape High Court this year.
kailene.pillay@inl.co.za
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