A witness in a child sex abuse trial yesterday denied making up an allegation that he was groped by the leader of a summer camp because he was “awestruck” by his alleged attacker.
The man, now aged 44, told Oban Sheriff Court he was abused by Torquil Johnson-Ferguson, 65, the owner of a west coast adventure island, more than 30 years ago.
Sheriff Ruth Anderson and the jury heard the alleged incident took place in a cave on an island near the island of Rua Fiola near Oban in the summer of 1979 or 1981 when the man was nine or 11 years old.
The witness, who was a boarding prep school pupil when he went to Rua Fiola, said: “I remember there was a bit of fondling and touching in the cave.”
Defence solicitor Gary McAteer said: “What did happen according to your description, is essentially this man who has known you for two days came over to you in a cave, lay in between you and another boy before starting to abuse you?”
The man replied: “That’s right. I don’t remember if there was someone on the other side of me.”
Mr McAteer said: “Can I suggest to you that whatever happened in the cave, whatever happened in the course of your time on Rua Fiola Island, you were not abused by Torquil Johnson-Ferguson?”
The witness replied: “I don’t accept that.”
Mr McAteer continued: “Is there not a possibility that the upset of the night in the cave, going to the toilet in bare feet, older boys teasing you, there might have been some imagination or dream that something happened?
“I’m suggesting to you that you have got this wrong. For whatever reason. It may have been for instance, you arrived on an island and were awestruck by an adventurer figure who owned an island and was running an adventure place.”
The man replied: “I would have looked up to him. It wouldn’t cause me to make up stories. It did happen.”
Johnson-Ferguson, of Solwaybank, Chapel Knowe, Canonbie, in Dumfries and Galloway, has denied sexually abusing yesterday’s witness and two other boys.
A second charge alleges that he abused a boy aged 11 or 12 in the cave in the summer of 1985 or 1986, by touching him and forcing the boy to touch him.
A third charge alleges he used indecent practices towards a 13-year-old boy, induced him to enter a river naked, while Johnson-Ferguson was naked, picked up other children while they were naked, threw them in the water, grabbed the 13-year-old from behind and touched him inappropriately.
The trial continues on Monday.
