A 92-year-old former houseparent at Quarriers Village has been found to have sexually abused two young boys between 1966 and 1972, Greenock Sheriff Court said after an "examination of the facts."

John Porteous, who was deemed unfit to be criminally tried following an independent medical assessment, had two charges — one of indecent assault and another of lewd, indecent and libidinous practices and behaviour — established by the court. The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) said his name has been placed on the sex offenders register for five years.

Porteous was previously convicted in 2002 at the High Court in Glasgow of sexually abusing two boys at Quarriers and was jailed for eight years; that sentence was later reduced to five years on appeal. He gave evidence to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (SCAI) but continued to protest his innocence and has never publicly admitted the offences.

Procurator Fiscal Anne Marie Hicks said the COPFS ‘‘consistently strives to secure justice for those affected by abuse’’ and described the examination of facts as a public acknowledgement that the conduct was criminal. "It should never have happened," she said, adding that the finding sends a clear message that there will be a robust prosecutorial response regardless of who the abuser is or how long ago the offending took place.

One of the two men identified as victims at the hearing, David Whelan, has for years campaigned for the rights of institutional abuse survivors. Whelan told the SCAI in 2018 that he was sexually abused in a church belltower before Sunday service and said he believed a paedophile ring may have been based at the home. Whelan said in response to the court’s latest finding that "there can be no doubt whatsoever that John Porteous is a convicted paedophile and that he abused children in his care while an employee of Quarriers."

Whelan recounted that after escaping Quarriers at 16 he built a successful events business and had buried his memories of the abuse until a phone call from Porteous’s wife asking him to be a character witness prompted him to report the harm. His decision to speak out helped prompt what became the largest police investigation into child abuse in Scotland.

The Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, chaired by Lady Smith, heard evidence that conditions at Quarriers were severe, with some testimonies likening the institution to a "prison camp." Victims voiced anger in 2021 when Quarriers, which had an annual income of more than £40 million at the time, declined to contribute to a compensation fund for survivors.

A Quarriers spokesperson reiterated an "unreserved apology to people who suffered abuse while in our care," acknowledged the courage of those who came forward and said the organisation remains committed to supporting former residents and to working with the survivor community to ensure access to high-quality support and aftercare.

The examination of facts procedure is used when a court determines a person is unfit to stand trial; the procurator fiscal depute and defence lead evidence that is tested before a sheriff, who then decides whether the charges are established. COPFS urged anyone affected by similar offending to report it when they feel ready, saying victims will be listened to and supported.

Porteous’s case is one of several historic abuse matters examined in recent years as survivors, prosecutors and public inquiries have sought to address institutional failures that left children vulnerable. The SCAI has investigated widespread allegations of abuse in care settings across Scotland and has prompted calls for improved safeguards and redress for those harmed.

With the sheriff’s finding now on record, the case provides formal acknowledgement of the offences in addition to Porteous’s earlier conviction. Authorities said the ruling reinforces a long-standing commitment to investigate and pursue those responsible for sexual offences against children, irrespective of the passage of time.