A FORMER trustee of a now-closed Dumbarton boarding school has insisted the school's management were unaware of allegations of abuse until a police investigation began in 2015.

The Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry has begun taking evidence as it looks into abuse allegations at seven Scottish boarding schools, including Keil School in Kirktonhill.

Rodger Harvey-Jamieson told the inquiry: “Police were initially investigating a teacher of English and drama who had been at the school in the late 80s and early 90s.

"At the time he had just been jailed for sexual offences against a boy at his previous school in England.

“The police had also noted the suicide in 2004 of a member of staff who had been at the school between 1991 and 1997, following that member of staff being accused of abusing children at his new school in Lancashire.

“And also it became known that a third former teacher who was at Keil between 1987 and 2000 was also under investigation.

“Police did not provide any feedback about the investigation, other than concerns about a possible paedophile ring may have been unfounded.”

Opening statements in the latest phase of the inquiry were taken on Tuesday morning.

QCs representing Fettes College and Loretto School in Edinburgh, and Gordonstoun School in Moray, told the inquiry on Tuesday that the schools offered "unreserved" or "unequivocal" apologies to those who were abused while pupils at the three institutions.

Keil, which closed in July 2000, moved to Dumbarton from its original home in Campbeltown in 1925.

It had a capacity for between 160 and 200 pupils, plus a further 45 junior pupils who were taught in Helensburgh, and was attended only by boys until 1978, when it became co-educational.

At its closure it employed 52 people, including 33 teaching staff.

Earlier this year, an urgent appeal was made for former pupils and staff of the school to comford ahead of the inquiry, appealing for thosse who had experience of being abused or may have information about abuse in the school.