Torquil Johnson-Ferguson ran a now-shuttered outward bound activities camp for children on his family-owned private island of Lunga. As well as regular Merchiston visits, shepherded by the infamous Pringle Housemaster James Rainy Brown, the Ru’a Fiola outward bound centre is linked to at least one other convicted child abuser—hinting at a network of ‘like-minded’ men operating across Scotland.
“Torquil had been a pupil at Merchiston.”—Maria Prini-Garcia, SCAI Witness Statement (25 November 2020). Note: The Research Hub has so far not been able to confirm this fact from school registers.
“Torquil Johnson-Ferguson, 65, from Canonbie in Dumfries and Galloway, abused three boys aged 13 or under at the Rua Fiola centre. He was convicted of three charges of lewd, indecent and libidinous practices and behaviour. Johnson-Ferguson was jailed for 18 months at Oban Sheriff Court. He was also put on the sex offenders register for 10 years.”—“Man jailed over Firth of Lorn activity centre indecency”, BBC News (3 March 2015)
“A man who was jailed for 18 months in 2015 for sexually assaulting young boys 30 years ago has been found to have carried out further acts in the 1990s. While Torquil Charles Johnson Ferguson, of Solwaybank, Chapel Knowe, Canonbie, was unfit to stand trial, an examination of the facts hearing went ahead last week in Oban Sheriff Court.”—“Centre owner fondled boys”,
The Oban Times (19 September 2019)
“The outsourced summer camps run by Torquil Johnson-Ferguson were brought to our attention by comments made by boys on their return to school. Climbing wearing just a harness and adults present in the showering areas is what I remember. I did speak with older boys who had attended this camp before, and they did not seem to see anything wrong with any of that.”—Maria Prini-Garcia, SCAI Witness Statement (25 November 2020)
A man who was jailed for 18 months in 2015 for sexually assaulting young boys 30 years ago has been found to have carried out further acts in the 1990s. While Torquil Charles Johnson Ferguson, of Solwaybank, Chapel Knowe, Canonbie, was unfit to stand trial, an examination of the facts hearing went ahead last week in Oban Sheriff Court.
A businessman convicted of indecent practices with young boys at an activity centre on an island in the Firth of Lorn has been jailed. Torquil Johnson-Ferguson, 65, from Canonbie in Dumfries and Galloway, abused three boys aged 13 or under at the Rua Fiola centre.
The owner of a children’s adventure holiday island was jailed for 18 months yesterday after a sheriff ruled he had “abused his position of power” when he groped young boys in his care. Oban Sheriff Court heard Torquil Johnson-Ferguson suffered a heart attack after he was convicted of abusing three youngsters who attended his outdoor courses in the 1980s.
An adventure island owner accused of abusing boys told a court there was “nothing devious” about him changing his appearance before an identity parade. Torquil Johnson-Ferguson, of Solwaybank, Chapel Knowe, Canonbie, in Dumfriesshire, had his long hair cut before the line-up his trial at Oban Sheriff Court was told earlier.
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.
A man has been accused of sexually abusing boys over a 30-year period on a remote island near Oban. The case against Torquil Johnson-Ferguson, 65, of Solwaybank, Chapel Knowe, Canonbie, Dumfries and Galloway, called at Oban Sheriff Court yesterday.
SUMMER school director Torquil Johnson-Ferguson, 65, who ran the Rua Fiola centre on the island of Lunga, off the west coast of Scotland, has resigned.
Torquil Johnson-Ferguson owns the island of Lunga and has been charged with ‘lewd, indecent and libidinous practices and behaviour’ The owner of a Scottish island who organised summer activities for youngsters has been charged with child sex offences, reports the Sunday People.
Every so often in the life of a school there is a teacher who has the natural gift to inspire and influence the lives of its pupils over several generations. James Rainy Brown, or “JRB” as he was known to staff, pupils, parents and friends, was one of these rare and gifted schoolmasters.
