THREE sexual abuse victims of a Moffat care home have recovered £1.3million in damages in landmark legal actions against council bosses.
The trio ended their 47-year quest for justice after being attacked by Peter Harley at Merkland Children’s Home in the town.
Harley, now 79 and locked up in HMP Glenochil, was jailed on three separate occasions after being found guilty of multiple criminal charges against children between 1977 and 1982.
Richard Pitts, partner at Digby Brown in Edinburgh, helped secure the payout and said: “The £1.3m recovered tells you just how serious this abuse was – it’s also landmark for being the highest known sums recovered for survivors with Merkland abuse claims.
“Harley preyed on the most vulnerable children in the most abusive ways – he was cunning, abused his power and has shown no remorse.
“But there are fears in the survivor community this is just the tip of the iceberg with Harley being part of a wider network where he and others effectively used Merkland as a hunting ground.
“It would therefore be of the utmost importance for SCAI to fully investigate Merkland as quickly as possible to cast light on this dark chapter so survivors get the recognition they deserve because in addition to all survivors getting recognition it is equally important that all perpetrators are brought to justice.”
Children were sent to Merkland Children’s Home in Moffat after suffering neglectful home lives but after joining some were targeted by the home manager, known as ‘Pops Harley’.
Previous reports revealed he attacked children when they woke during the night from bad dreams, while others would be molested as they sat on his knee while watching television.
One boy was even sexually abused on his very first night at Merkland.
The offences first came to light in the mid-1990s and Harley was initially jailed for 15 years in 1996 after admitting to abusing 16 boys.
In December 2000 he was jailed for a further eight years after being convicted at a second trial in connection with abuse carried out on a group trip to Wales.
Then in 2022 he was imprisoned for a third time – this time for three years – after two previously unknown victims stepped forward.
All three of the recent Merkland abuse claims against Dumfries and Galloway Council were settled out-of-court with each survivor securing six-figure sums.
Meanwhile, two more Merkland abuse claims are ongoing.
In 2009 the local authority offered Merkland victims goodwill payments of £20,000 but these payments do not stop victims pursuing legal actions.
Mr Pitts added: “The payments offered by the local authority 15 years ago were ex gratia – that means they were paid free of obligation and no survivor had to waive any rights to receive them.
“Victims of Merkland therefore still have a right to seek legal advice and there is a real chance many people could still be entitled to access the enhanced treatment, care and support they deserve.”
