Dictatorship claim at cruelty trial

Sister Alphonso faces 22 charges

A children's home in Midlothian was like a dictatorship when a nun accused of cruelty was there, a court has heard.

Former care assistant Ann Donaldson was giving evidence in the trial of Marie Docherty, also known as Sister Alphonso, who denies 22 charges of cruelty to girls over a 15-year period.

The witness worked alongside Sister Alphonso at Nazareth House in Lasswade.

The charges

Marie Docherty faces 22 charges, all of which are denied

The charges date from 1965 to 1980

They include - forcing girls to kiss dead nuns

Punching, slapping and kicking girls

Forcing girls to wear soiled underwear

She said she did not support the children at the time, but would now.

She also told the court that she felt very guilty.

Questioned by the defence, she denied a suggestion that the court case stemmed from gossip which had got out of hand to an extraordinary degree.

Former resident Rosemary Kiloh said she told the nun what other children were doing to keep in Sister Alphonso's good books, because she was afraid of her.

Miss Kiloh said the nun was as nice as ninepence to visitors, but when they were not there "she could change like that".

Asked what she changed into, Miss Kiloh replied: "A madwoman".

The trial was adjourned till Monday