Wynberg Court set to rule on Iain Wares' sexual abuse allegations
Former SA teacher, Iain Wares, (on left) wanted by UK authorities for alleged sexual crime of young boys is accompanied by his attorney, Ben Matthewson.
Image: Genevieve Serra
Closing arguments have paved the way for judgment in the Cape Town case against former SA teacher Iain Wares, who faces extradition to the UK for the alleged sexual and physical abuse of 65 boys, with 90 charges listed in the indictment.
Wares made an appearance at the Wynberg Regional Court this week where he is facing a charge of indecent assault relating to a local victim, dubbed “Stephen” who broke his silence after decades.
He was while a learner at Rondebosch Boys Preparatory school where Wares was an educator.
Wares denied the claims while taking the witness stand last year.
“Stephen," who also took the witness stand, claimed he was abused by Wares, describing that he had allegedly touched his buttocks and penis and rubbed his penis up against him.
Women and Men Against Child Abuse (WMACA) which attended the closing arguments said the state had reviewed the victim’s statement.
"The prosecutor methodically reviewed Stephen’s statement, the State’s response to the defence’s section 174 application, and Wares’ own admission to "tucking in" the boy’s shirt — while recalling minute classroom details yet "forgetting" the boys’ names,” said WMACA.
“She emphasised Stephen’s lack of motive to fabricate (rejecting being publicly named), addressed single-witness cautions, and highlighted the abuse’s profound impact on the young, vulnerable victim.”
They said defence advocate, Ben Matthewson argued Section 5 of the Sexual Offences Act does not apply, framing incidents as "only rubbing" rather than assault or sexual violence, and that the incidents happened before the Sexual Offences Act.
"He stressed the State’s burden to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt, not the accused’s burden to prove innocence; invoked single-witness rule cautions, citing Stephen’s alleged contradictions in unrelated labour and media matters; questioned how the alleged acts occurred publicly without anyone reporting at the time; and questioned decades-long reporting delay, demonstrating clear ignorance of historical abuse precedents," WMACA added.
WMACA Senior Director Miranda Jordan also commented post-proceedings: "I felt that the prosecutor covered everything in her closing arguments and spoke at length about how late reporting has been ruled unconstitutional to hold against the complainant.
"WMACA are pleased we are moving quite swiftly (literally in 20 days) to Judgement, because Wares is really one of the worst South Africans to be on trial for sexual abuse here, while awaiting extradition to the UK to answer for international crimes against children."
In January, Wares made an appearance at the Simonstown Magistrates’ Court following a recent Constitutional Court outcome relating to his continued release on bail.
During proceedings, Wares was informed by Magistrate Lutfie Rhodie that he would be back in the dock on April 16 2026 for his extradition hearing to proceed.
The charges arise from allegations that Wares sexually abused at least 65 boys aged between 8 and 13 over an eleven-year period while employed as a mathematics teacher and rugby coach in Edinburgh between 1968 and 1979.
The case is postponed to March 23 at 9am for judgement.