A MAN told a jury today that he woke up to find the captain of the Waverley sexually abusing him.

The 51-year-old originally from Glasgow, who now lives in England, said that the next day Captain David Neill told him it was a joke.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was giving evidence at the High Court in Glasgow at the trial of Neill, 75, from Galston who who denies indecently assaulting three teenage boys on board the paddle steamer between 1982 and 1986.

The witness told prosecutor Greg Farrell that he was extremely drunk and added: “I woke up and the captain was playing with my penis and testicles. I told him to f*** off.

“I was very confused and full of shame. The captain said it was just a joke. I didn't find it funny.

“He told me he wasn't gay and I had met his wife and family, that's why I was so confused.”

The witness told the jury that he then transferred to the sister ship MV Balmoral before returning to the Waverley.

He claimed that on another night he was drunk and again was wakened by Neil sexually abusing him.

The man said that both alleged incidents took place in the captain's cabin on the Waverley.

Defence QC John Scullion asked the witness: “You were never told you could sleep in the captain's cabin,” and he replied: “I can assure you I was authorised to sleep in the captain's cabin buy the captain.”

The 51-year-old said that the incidents happened when he was a teenager.

The man said that he suffers from 'flashbacks” including memories of the way Neill smelled which he described as being 'sweat and Old Spice.”

A 53-year-old man also told the jury he was sexually assaulted by Neill.

He said he worked  as a galley boy on the ship for a couple of months before jumping ship in fort William.

The witness, who gave evidence via a video link from Canada, said he first met Neil when he gave him a lift as he hitchhiked in Ayrshire.

He said: "He asked me what I wanted to do when I left school and I said I wanted to go to sea. He told me his name was Captain David Neill of the paddle steamer Waverley."

He claimed some days later Neill picked him up from his Ayrshire home and drove him to the Waverley.
Mr Farrell asked: "What  happened," and the witness said: "We started out towards Paisley and he started talking about bad ladies. He reached over with his hand and touched my penis."
The man told the jury this happened a number of times until they got to Gleniffer Braes.

Mr Farrell asked: "Did anything happen while you were working on the ship, " and he replied: "Yes. Quite often if I went I to David Neill's cabin he would swing his legs over the side of his bed and I would have to stand between his legs and he would start touching my penis and talking about bad ladies.”

The witness also claimed Neill would try to touch his testicles from behind as he walked past and would frequently say: "Show us your tadger."

The man said the alleged abuse took place over a couple of months when he was aged 15 and 16.
He said he left the paddle steamer at Fort William on April 27, 1982 and headed home.

He said he told no one about the alleged abuse until November 2017.

Defence QC John Scullion said: "I'm suggesting this didn't happen at all, " and the witness replied: "You are very mistaken."

The trial before Judge Tom Hughes continues.