Abuse by former paddle steamer captain David Neill 'left me broken' By Paul O'Hare

BBC Scotland Published duration 28 February

image caption Jim Scott waived his right to anonymity and spoke to BBC Scotland from his home in Canada

A victim of former Waverley captain David Neill has told how the paedophile left him "broken".

Jim Scott was just 15 when he was given a job as a galley boy on the world-famous paddle steamer.

But he soon discovered the lure of a naval career was a front for Neil to groom and sexually abuse young boys.

As Neill was jailed for seven years, Mr Scott revealed he still suffers flashbacks to his ordeal, which led to him being diagnosed with PTSD.

He told BBC Scotland: "I feel shame and embarrassment of being afraid to tell anyone. Not knowing if people would believe me.

"I lived with this dirty secret for over three decades."

'David Neill totally dismantled my life'

Mr Scott is now a father-of-five living quietly in Canada.

He waived his right to anonymity after Neill, 75, was found guilty of four charges of indecent assault between 1982 and 1987. He continues to deny the offences.

The extent of his ongoing torment was revealed in a victim impact statement submitted to the High Court in Glasgow.

It states: "David Neill totally dismantled my life.

"He has caused decades of pain, decades of feeling unworthy, ashamed, embarrassed.

"No amount of therapy or medication can replace what is lost. I am broken, I doubt I will ever be whole."

image copyright Spindrift image caption Predator David Neill groomed teenage boys with the promise of jobs

Passing sentence, judge Tom Hughes QC told Neill he had committed "an appalling series of offences" after offering the boys a job on the Waverley and the prospect of a naval career.

He added: "With hindsight they now acknowledge that you were actually grooming them and using them for your own selfish, evil, sexual gratification."

The judge also praised the dignity of the victims and acknowledged they have been left with "horrendous lifelong consequences".

Neill, of Galston, East Ayrshire, captained the Waverley from 1975 to 1997.

In 1998, he was jailed for three years at Glasgow Sheriff Court after being found guilty of abusing five teenage boys in his cabin.

Mr Scott, 53, said he was not aware of Neill's previous conviction when he contacted the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) about his experiences in November 2017.

His testimony set in motion a Police Scotland investigation which uncovered two further victims.

Mr Scott said he finally reported the abuse after he confided in a friend about his ordeal amid fears he was about to "implode"

He added: "It was not to do with confidence, it was more to do with survival."

A chance encounter

Mr Scott first met Neill when the Waverley skipper picked him up as he hitchhiked from his farm home outside Uplawmoor, East Renfrewshire, in March 1982.

He recalled: "When we were driving into Beith, he asked me what I wanted to do when I left school and I told him I wanted to go into the merchant navy.

"At that point, he announced he was Captain David Neill of the paddle steamer Waverley."

Neill later gave the teenager a lift home and asked his parents if he could take him to see the Waverley, with a view to getting him a job on the boat.

image copyright Getty Images image caption Neill captained the famous Waverley paddle steamer from 1975 to 1997

Mr Scott said the idea of a professional life at sea was "more than a dream".

He said: "Back then, one in four were unemployed and kids coming out of school never really had any prospects.

"I got a job on a ship without really trying. It was going to lead to the merchant navy. I had high, high hopes."

That weekend, Neill drove the teenager to Glasgow to see the legendary paddle steamer.

But, en-route, the serial paedophile spoke to his prospective victim about the "bad ladies" and started touching him.

Mr Scott said he believed Neill was telling him something important, "without even realising what he was doing".

image copyright Jim Scott image caption Mr Scott on his first "proper" holiday in 22 years after overcoming a fear of looking at the sea

The following week, he quit school and went to work on the Waverley.

The teenager had a bunk on board and performed a range of tasks, from washing dishes to cleaning the galley.

Mr Scott, who now lives in Airdrie, Alberta, said: "It wasn't very glamorous, but it was a job that I thought would take me somewhere."

Despite what had happened in Neill's car, Mr Scott initially believed he was a "nice guy" and described him as a "father figure" to the young boys who worked on the ship.

But over the next few weeks, he was sexually abused up to a dozen times - including in the captain's cabin.

'I was devoid of happiness'

Shortly after turning 16 in April 1982, he jumped ship in Fort William and hitchhiked home.

In his victim impact statement, Mr Scott said he regularly experiences flashbacks.

He wrote: "I still see David Neill in his car or in his cabin. I see him sitting on his bunk with his vest and lots of body hair reaching out to touch me. I can feel his hand and hear his voice."

The statement continues: "All I did was exist, devoid of happiness and any real feelings.

"I often wonder why I decided to stay on this planet. Most days I have moments where I feel like crying."

image copyright Jim Scott image caption Jim Scott now lives quietly with his five children in Canada

Mr Scott, who moved to Canada in 1997 and has never returned to Scotland, describes himself as a loner and said he finds it difficult to socialise.

He has told his children about what happened to him and hopes speaking openly about his experiences will aid his recovery.

Mr Scott said: "I don't think David Neill understands the impact he has had on many lives.

"I think offenders like him take a lot more from the victims than they can ever comprehend.

"I would like to see him in jail until his final day."

Related Topics Glasgow

Uplawmoor

Galston