General · 30 January 2026
Former housemaster jailed for rape after earlier legal errors
William Brydson, 78, was sentenced to ten years in prison for historical rape and abuse committed while he was a housemaster at a Scottish boarding school in the 1980s. Victims Dawn Crawford and Michelle Kilpatrick fought for justice for over two decades after a 2003 prosecution failed. At that time, sexual abuse charges were dropped due to legal errors and missed deadlines, allowing Brydson to escape significant punishment until this recent conviction.
Reported by BBC · How we write briefs