One of the UK’s leading experts on child abuse has raised doubts about the conviction of a social worker after an investigation into a residential school in Ayrshire.

{mosimage}Ray Wyre, who works as a consultant to police investigations and public inquiries into child abuse, said staff at Kerelaw School found guilty of physical assaults were judged by standards which did not apply at the time the offences were said to have happened.

The trial of Matt George and John Muldoon, two former staff members at Kerelaw, took place in early 2006. There were 85 charges against them.

Mr Wyre was in court as an expert witness for the prosecution, but he was not called to give evidence.

He has now claimed this was because he made no secret of his doubts about some of the prosecution evidence.

When the prosecution finished, he closed his laptop and went to speak to Mr Muldoon. He said he told him he ought to be acquitted. The Crown Office said it was a matter for the fiscal to decide who was called to give evidence.

A drug said to be the world’s most addictive substance, which has torn apart communities in the United States, has been found by police in Scotland for the first time.

Children of asylum seekers who have been in Scotland for more than three years will be treated as Scottish residents when it comes to paying university fees, the Scottish Executive will announce today.

A notorious paedophile who abused more than 30 Scots children has won the right to obtain the details of the criminal convictions of social workers.