A GREENOCK man who suffered repeated abuse while a teenager in care and rebuilt his life to become a social worker has spoken out about his experiences in a bid to help others.

Brian Heron, who is from Gibshill and now lives in Port Glasgow, has given evidence at the ongoing Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, and hopes to raise awareness and convince more people affected to come forward.

The 66-year-old is a musician and award winning youth worker who devoted his life to helping the most vulnerable.

But he has revealed that he was the victim of almost daily physical abuse and humiliation at a notorious school in Ayrshire run by the Church of Scotland which has now closed down.

After qualifying as a social worker and while working in youth services in different roles, Brian would spend his life trying to call out abuses of power where ever he found them.

Brian told the Tele: "The problem with so many of these cases, like me, is when you have committed offences you feel like you deserve whatever is coming to you. But you don't, nobody does.

"I want to raise awareness of the inquiry because I think there are so many people who have experiences like mine and should speak out. The inquiry has been going on for nine years, but that is a good thing. Many of the organisations have already made the changes they needed to make before they give evidence at the hearings.

"So many of them have said sorry, but what does that mean if nothing happens."

At the inquiry and in witness statements he submitted, Brian set out what happened at Geilsland School when he was sent there as a 15-year-old by the courts after finding himself in trouble with the police.

He told the inquiry that he experienced a difficult childhood, his mother left the family home and his dad was in the Merchant Navy. For most of his young life Brian was sent to live with different relatives.

He got involved in petty crimes and ended up in the List D school.

Brian set the scene for the school where he describes being slapped in the face for his chores not being up to scratch.

On occasions they were made to stand in a line for as long as it took for someone to admit an offence.

In his statement Brian said: "We would all be made to bend over the billard table and he would everyone of us with a plywood shaped like a guitar. The irony is that even the person who made the complaint got hit. Someone eventually owned up and we were sent to bed."

Brian went on to recall 'strange', 'childish' and controlling behaviour from the person in charge.

He added: "In many ways watching someone else getting hit or abused is also a form of abuse. It traumatises you and makes you feel scared.

"I was hit with a belt and other objects. People knew what was going on but no-one did anything."

After returning home from the D-Listed school Brian then had a few more clashes with the law and was sentenced to Barlinnie at 17 years old, where again he witnessed and was subjected to violence.

The retired social worker said that it was finding music and local youth work services that turned his life around.

He ended up going to Jordanhill to train as a social worker.

Brian, who is married father-of-four, also gave evidence to the enquiry about his experiences as a social worker, and found himself back at Geilsland where abuse of youngsters was continuing.

The Gibshill man added: "I felt like becoming a social worker was the one thing I could do that would make a difference. I had a really good experience as a child with social workers. They had really helped me at the time.

"But I promised myself that I would always speak out and report anything that needed reporting. I can tell you I have lost friends over the years because I did this, when people were not doing their jobs properly. It takes its toll on you and it affected me getting other jobs.

"But if people don't speak out, if the proper processes are not put in place, then nothing will ever change."

Brian recalls reporting information that was never acted upon while working as a social worker.

He also said that there was a time he returned to Geilisland and soon incidents of abuse were disclosed to him.

At the inquiry Brian set out the incident that he had experienced.

Now going forward he believes that the only way for survivors to get justice is by using the redress scheme for victims of child abuse while in care.

Brian said: "I know that people don't want money for what happened. But it is the only way to hit these big institutions where it hurts.

"Do what you want with the money, give it to charity, give to your families. But it is the only way to get justice."

Over the years Brian has helped thousands of local young people and children, using music as a tool.

He set up the Boilerhouse Project based in the Devol Industrial Estate, which won a national award from John Hunt, who led the first successful British expedition to Everest.

Brian said: "Family is all that matters to me - my wife, my children and my grandchildren are everything."

Brian gave evidence at a hearing in April this year having submitted witness statements at the very start of the enquiry.