Ex-footballer "failed children miserably" at "hell on earth school", jury told
- Rory Cassidy
- Jun 25
- 3 min read
A former footballer "failed children miserably" at the "hell on earth school" where he allegedly repeatedly assaulted them, a jury was told today.
Michael Neil, who played for Arbroath and Clyde, is said to have assaulted so many kids on so many occasions that he can't remember the attacks.
He is said to have kicked, punched and slapped pupils, hit them with golf clubs and cricket bats, and blasted golf balls at them in a gym hall.
He is currently on trial accused of 16 charges of physically assaulting a number of boys and girls at Kerelaw School.
Neil denies abusing the former pupils, many of whom are now dead, at the school in Stevenston, North Ayrshire, in the 1980s and 1990s.
The 72-year-old maintains his innocence, insisting that the ex-pupils have made up the attacks, and is currently on trial at Paisley Sheriff Court.
In his closing speech to the jury, prosecutor Michael Cunningham asked them to convict Neil, of Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, of the charges he faces.
Today, Thursday, June 25, 2026, he said: "These attacks were a normal part of everyday life. Just something that was normalised.
"This was a course of conduct systematically pursued by Michael Neil.
"These were very distressing and deeply personal matters that took place at that school.
"Ten former pupils have told you they were struck with golf balls, or some other sports ball, at the school, but Michael Neil would have you believe that they have all made it up for some reason.
"You might be sitting there thinking that this school, quite frankly, sounded like hell on earth.
"The violence was so widespread and common that he's simply lost track of it all.
"You may have the view that Michael Neil has failed each and every one of these children miserably.
"This was relentless abuse that they faced at the hands of their teacher, Michael Neil."
Giving evidence in his own defence previously, Neil said he turned his back on his teaching career when being accused of harming kids.
He said: "I thought I'd rather do any job in the world rather than teaching.
"I opted out of re-registering with the General Teaching Council for Scotland..
"I decided I'd never teach again. I had no intention of getting back into education."
The court heard he was told in 2007 that prosecutors from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service had decided not to proceed with the allegations against him.
But the court heard he then appeared in court in 2021 in connection with the current case after another investigation.
He said: "I had no knowledge there was another investigation of any kind."
He said one of the boys who had made allegations against him lied regularly, even claiming to have played professional football while a resident at the school.
He explained: "He said he went to see St Mirren against Greenock Morton and that they were short of a player so he played the second half and scored a goal.
"He said he played in a professional game. I was playing part-time football at the time, I was probably at Clyde or something like that."
And Neil said that one of the girls who has made allegations against him had a drug problem at the time she lived at the school.
He maintains his innocence and the trial, before Sheriff Eoin McGinty, continues.
Neil's lawyer is due to give his closing speech to the jury this afternoon.
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