From: David Whelan
To: Mr Robin Wilson
Date: 02/06/2004

Dear Mr Wilson

I am writing to you because I represent and speak on behalf of a number of victims of abuse (sexual and physical) from the court cases of Porteous and Wilson both former employees of Quarriers who have been convicted by the courts.

I have written to Mr Walter Smith Chairman of the Former Boys and Girls Association outlining the reasons why there is difficulty also with victims who wish to reconnect to Quarriers through the Former Boys and Girls Association.

I have received letters from Mr Walter Smith in relation to these issues and enclose my letters and his responses. I have had a frank and forthright discussion on the telephone re: these issues with Walter Smith but he seems unable to grasp the issues or is powerless to resolve the issues.

These issues cannot be side-stepped and the hope that some how they will disappear into thin air.

I have suggested to him a meeting and I will await his response to this suggestion.

I understand that Viscount Muirshiel gave cottage 8 in perpetuity in 1987 and use of it was granted to the FBGA (Former Boys and Girls Association) to enable former boys and girls who wished to maintain contact with the village.

A number of former children who I represent wish to visit Quarriers from time to time in the future.

I believe that it was not the intention or the wishes of the former Chairman to allow a situation to evolve which enabled former children who became House parents and employees to participate on the association and that its was given for the sole use of former boys and girls.

There is a conflict of interest re: Mrs Porteous due to her involvement in these cases and  she has brought the association into disrepute by attacking victims in the way that she did in the media. The courts passed down the verdicts in the cases of her brother and her husband.

It places victims in an impossible dilemma who wish to engage with the Quarriers of today and have closure on these issues.

I have outlined a number of issues to Walter Smith in my letters dated the 22^nd March 2004 and 9^th April 2004, which I believe impedes progress to a resolution of some of the issues the victims of abuse have with Quarriers of today. I enclose also his replies dated 1/04/2004 and 14^th May 2004.

It cannot be right and ethically morally wrong that victims feel that they cannot return without confrontation and stay in cottage 8 due to the fact that Mrs Helen Porteous administers this cottage.

Surely in the interest of balance it would be in everybody’s interest for this cottage to be administered by someone else independent of this situation.

Mrs Helen Porteous has used her position in the FBGA association and as a committee member to attack in the media victims whose only crimes were to report her husband and her brother.

I wonder if you could assist to help resolve these issues as these issues may need your input to resolve as current Chairman of Quarriers perhaps you could use your influence to bring reasoned sense to this situation.

It would be our wish to resolve these issues in an amicable fashion.

I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you to discuss the issues in relation to the FBGA that former Boys and Girls have who were abused while in-care in Quarriers and who wish to return to Quarriers to visit.

This letter is written entirely without prejudice to my rights and pleas in the matter of my civil case and shall not be founded upon in any subsequent court action except at my sole insistence.

Yours Sincerely

David Whelan

Enc

Why did the chairman of Quarriers, Mr Robin Wilson, not take decisive action to deal with the issue that Quarriers' properties were being used in support of convicted paedophiles as soon as it was drawn to his attention? Did the fact that Sam Poling of BBC Frontline Scotland lived in the neighbourhood have any bearing on this decision?