A former boarding school pupil has told how he “can’t explain” why the smell of toast makes him feel affectionate towards a priest who would strip and beat him.
The witness, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was speaking at the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry about his time at Fort Augustus Abbey in the Highlands during the 1970s.
He told how one priest would call out “boy, come here” during the night and he would have to go to his room for a naked beating or to eat toast.
The witness, now in his 50s, said: “I would have to take my clothes off and asked to bend over, my hands were on the chair or the desk.
“He used to just rub my backside and then I used to get the cane.”
It was heard the priest would at other times call him in to his room for toast and a chat.
The witness added: “I can’t explain it, but I still have a lot of affection about that, I guess I thought it was special.
“Even today the smell of toast and butter is a nice feeling. It was relief and happiness, I think. It’s hard to explain.
“I still have a lot of affection for him because of the time with the toast.”
The witness blamed his time at the Catholic-run school for his inability to process feelings, saying it had been the cause of two failed marriages.
The inquiry before judge Lady Smith in Edinburgh continues.
