The former teacher accused of dozens of historical sex abuse charges has been told he can be extradited back to Scotland.
Iain Wares, 84, has been accused of abuse by scores of former pupils from Edinburgh Academy and Fettes College.
He taught at the prestigious schools in the 1960s and 70s, but now lives in a luxury retirement resort in South Africa.
After a years-long extradition battle, Cape Town’s High Court ruled this week Wares can be extradited to Scotland.
But the court’s ruling, which has been welcomed by former pupils, now requires a decision from South Africa’s justice minister.
Broadcaster Nicky Campbell, who has previously told an inquiry how he saw Wares abuse his friends in the changing rooms at Edinburgh Academy, said: ‘We are edging closer to justice.’
Mr Campbell, who attended the fee-paying school between 1966 and 1978, compared the teacher to Jimmy Savile at the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry.
The BBC host commented yesterday on social media: ‘Our teacher can be extradited from South Africa. Many other charges are forthcoming. But he can appeal. It’s a long battle, but we ain’t going nowhere.’
Giles Moffatt, of the EA Survivors group, has also welcomed the development. He said: ‘We have fought hard for justice and this is excellent news.’
Wares’s identity had been kept secret and he had only been named by a pseudonym, ‘Edgar’.
But Wares was unmasked in March last year after Lady Smith, chairman of the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, lifted the restriction order prohibiting his identity being made public.
His extradition was demanded in 2018, with Scottish prosecutors telling South African authorities they wanted him for six charges of lewd, indecent and libidinous practices and behaviour, and one charge of indecent assault.
He was arrested in May 2019, South African court documents said, and released on bail. Magistrates in South Africa had originally approved the extradition, but Wares challenged it at appeal, leading to Thursday’s judgment.
Cape Town’s High Court ruled Wares could be extradited on three of the seven charges raised in South Africa. But he could not be extradited on four other charges because they had been too long in the past and had been timed out.
Wares is currently on trial in South Africa after a man came forward alleging he was inappropriately touched by his former teacher while a student in Cape Town in the 1980s.
Wares denies the allegation.