Students abused by a predatory professor are to sue their former university.
Victims of disgraced former academic Kevin O’Gorman have enlisted solicitors to pursue a claim against Strathclyde University for failings in its handling of the case.
Legal firm Digby Brown has urged the institution to make the findings of its internal probe public.
O’Gorman, 45, will be sentenced at Edinburgh Sheriff Court next week after being found guilty of abusing eight male students while teaching at Strathclyde and Heriot-Watt universities.
Victim Fraser Blevins, 32, who waived his rights to anonymity, said: “That man is nothing short of a monster who preyed on innocent people but at the same time I see him as nothing but weak and pathetic.
“I was only 17 when he groomed and abused me and others for his own sick gratification.
“For me, it’s too late for Strathclyde University to say sorry. That would be nothing more than a PR move for them.
“Strathclyde had the chance to deal with things at the time but they swept it under the carpet and let O’Gorman move to another uni and gave him a huge pay-off.
“Strathclyde is just as guilty as O’Gorman for turning a blind eye but if they want to do right by victims and assure existing staff and students that their welfare matters, it will make the full internal review public, not just a few findings.”
Kim Leslie, specialist lawyer at Digby Brown, who acted on behalf of a former Celtic youth player abused by paedophile coach Jim McCafferty, is now investigating Strathclyde’s role in the abuse.
She said: “Now the criminal proceedings are concluded, we are investigating the role of the university in this disgusting campaign of abuse, which affected potentially dozens of young adults. But as inquiries are at an early stage, it would be inappropriate to comment further.”
A Strathclyde University spokesman said it would not comment due to the investigation but added the institution would “accept the findings of the inquiry and adopt the recommendations”.
