Scout leader kills himself over abuse claim

A FORMER Scoutmaster accused of child sex abuse against members of his troop during camping trips has committed suicide.

Pensioner James Robertson was rushed by ambulance to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary after taking an overdose of pills at his home, but doctors were unable to save him.

The 75-year-old had been charged with four counts of lewd, indecent and libidinous practices.

It is understood the charges related to youngsters in his Scout group in Penicuik, Midlothian, dating back to the 1970s.

His widow, Valerie, told the Evening News that her husband had been "very upset" by the allegations and felt "under pressure" since being accused.

However, Mrs Robertson, 76, said she believed her husband's ill-health, caused by diabetes and arthritis, was the major factor behind the decision to take his own life, though the sex abuse charges "certainly accelerated it".

Grandfather-of-six Mr Robertson, who also faced six charges of assault when he last appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court in November, died on 27 April.

His widow said she believed the charges against her husband of nearly 52 years dated back to the 1970s.

She said: "He was very upset by the allegations made against him, but he wasn't a well man.

"I think it all got on top of him in the end. I don't think it was the allegations themselves, but they certainly accelerated it. He felt under a lot of pressure."

Mrs Robertson, who lived in Belwood Road in Penicuik with her late husband, said he had helped run the Scout group for around 20 years, as well as being a member of Penicuik Rotary Club.

She added: "I don't know which boys made the allegations, but nothing was said at the time. I don't know why this came out now after all these years.

"I went on all those trips along with our children and two Scout leaders, and we never saw anything going on. I lived with Jim for more than 50 years and never saw anything like that.

"Jim gave everything to that Scout group. We took two weeks out of our summer holidays to go on those camps."

Mr Robertson led the first Scout trip to Holland by the 3rd Penicuik (11th Midlothian) troop in July 1975, with dozens of boys aged 11 to 14 taking part. The second trip to the country took place in July 1978.

Mrs Robertson, a retired hospital medical secretary, said her husband had not told her what plea he would give to the charges.

Mr Robertson, a father-of-two, worked as a sales manager for a whisky manufacturing company before his retirement. His death certificate listed the cause of death as "multiple organ failure" and "multiple drug toxicity".

A police spokesman said there were "no suspicious circumstances" around the death, and a report was being sent to the procurator fiscal.

A neighbour of the Robertsons said: "We knew he had been involved with Scouting and the allegations were connected with that.

"He was a strange man who always carried himself as if he was better than everyone else."

A Crown Office spokeswoman confirmed that prior to his death, no dates had been set for Mr Robertson next appearance.