THOMAS HOWE SHOCKS SALTCOATS AND STEVENSTON WITH SEX ABUSE AT KERELAW SCHOOL

In June 2018, a disturbing case unfolded involving Thomas Howe, a former staff member at Kerelaw School located in Stevenston, Ayrshire. Howe, aged 70, was sentenced to a 10-month imprisonment after being found guilty of sexually abusing vulnerable teenagers at the secure unit of the school. The court also ordered him to be placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for a period of 10 years.

At the Kilmarnock Sheriff Court, Howe was led from the dock in handcuffs, where he turned to his wife and family with a smile as he was taken to begin serving his sentence. His victims, now in their 30s, had been just 14 and 15 years old at the time of the abuse, which took place within the confines of Kerelaw School’s secure facilities in Stevenston.

The court heard harrowing details of the abuse, including the first victim’s account of waking up one night to find Howe beside her, engaging in inappropriate conduct. She vividly described Howe as resembling Chewbacca from Star Wars due to his excessive hairiness. Her testimony painted a disturbing picture of betrayal and violation within a place that was supposed to be a safe environment for vulnerable children.

During the proceedings, former colleagues of Howe provided evidence as part of the defense, asserting that staff members would never enter residents’ rooms alone, citing safety concerns. One colleague explained, “They could’ve been violent, they could’ve been murderers, so we were very conscious of our own safety. We would never go alone – it just never happened.” Despite these assertions, Sheriff Shirley Foran dismissed Howe’s claims of innocence, convicting him of indecent assaults. She deferred sentencing to allow for background reports to be prepared.

In her remarks, Sheriff Foran expressed skepticism about Howe’s innocence, stating, “I can see no reason why, 17 or 18 years later, she would make a false report now.” She also referenced the second victim, who had experienced her own struggles at the time and since, and emphasized her credibility: “It is clear she had her troubles at the time and since. She appeared unhappy she had put herself in that position when giving her evidence – I can’t see why she’d fabricate evidence this all these years later. He did it.”

When Howe returned to the dock later that day, his defense advocate, John McElroy, maintained Howe’s stance of innocence, stating, “He has a position he expressed in evidence and it is adhered to in his report. He does not accept his guilt.” McElroy argued that if Howe had been convicted at the time of the offences, the maximum sentence would have been only three months. He appealed for leniency, highlighting Howe’s role as a family man, father, and grandfather, and noting that Howe had been assessed as a low risk of re-offending and violence.

Despite these pleas, Sheriff Foran sentenced Howe to 10 months in prison and mandated his registration as a sex offender for a decade. The case drew further attention in April 2018, when Howe was accused of creeping into a teenage girl’s bedroom at Kerelaw School to commit further acts of molestation. The victim, who was 14 or 15 at the time, described Howe as resembling Chewbacca, due to his hairy appearance, and recounted how he had entered her room during the night, rubbing against her and touching her inappropriately.

The victim, now 32, tearfully recounted her experience, explaining that Howe had entered her room in the early 2000s while she was in the secure unit after running away from the school. She described Howe as a “paedophile with greasy grey-black hair, a moustache, and an all-around goatee,” and detailed how he had let himself in and touched her while she was lying under her covers. Her account emphasized the betrayal of trust in a facility meant to protect vulnerable children.

Another victim, also a former resident, testified that Howe had entered her room alone one night and rubbed against her when she pressed the buzzer to go to the bathroom. The court heard from several former colleagues of Howe, including Keith Stoddart, Barbara Knox, Margaret West, and William McGinley, who supported the defense by asserting that staff would never have entered residents’ rooms alone. However, Sheriff Shirley Foran dismissed Howe’s claims of innocence once again, convicting him of indecent assaults and confirming her belief that Howe was responsible for the offences.

She reiterated her doubts about the victims’ credibility, stating, “I can see no reason why, 17 or 18 years later, she would make a false report now,” and emphasized that the second victim’s troubles did not diminish her account. The sheriff concluded, “It is clear she had her troubles at the time and since. She appeared unhappy she had put herself in that position when giving her evidence – I can’t see why she’d fabricate evidence this all these years later. He did it. I have no doubt in my mind there is a significant sexual element to the offences.”

Background reports are to be prepared before Howe’s sentencing, which is scheduled to take place later. The case has left a lasting impact on the community of Saltcoats and Stevenston, highlighting the serious issues of abuse within institutions meant to safeguard vulnerable children.