SpindriftTwo nuns carried out a six-year campaign of abuse at a children’s home.
Marie O’Gorman, 79, and Mary McGuire, 68, terrorised seven vulnerable youngsters who were in their care at Nazareth House in Glasgow’s Cardonald.
O’Gorman began her services at the Sisters of Nazareth congregation in 1963.
Her first victim was aged between four and eight when he pushed O’Gorman for upsetting his sister.
Glasgow Sheriff Court heard how O’Gorman – described as a “disciplinarian” of the home – struck the boy bottom with a leather harness.
The child was bloodied and cried for help as a result of the attack between 1975 and 1979.
O’Gorman was also abusive towards the same boy while he was in a bath.
The boy’s sister, when aged between three and seven, was hit on the body by O’Gorman.
The girl was also hit with a slipper.
Fiscal Lauren Aitchison said: “The victim recalled if she wet the bed, O’Gorman would take her to the bathroom, force her to stand in a freezing bath and pour cold water on her.”
The same victim was then made to wear a nappy in front of the other children, which made her feel “degraded”.
A second girl was aged around ten or 11 when O’Gorman struck her with a leather belt on the hand for not eating her vegetables.
The victim recalled crying after the incident and went on to eat all of her meals.
The court heard that McGuire joined the congregation in 1975 and worked at Nazareth House between 1978 and 1981.
Her first victim was ten years old when McGuire struck the girl on the body with a leather belt for “being cheeky”.
The buckle hit her on the eye, which caused a bruise.
The same girl recalled being struck on the leg with McGuire’s hand after losing a sandal on a trip to Girvan, South Ayrshire.
McGuire’s second victim was aged between seven and ten when she struck him with a belt in front of the other kids.
She went on to put the boy over her knee and smacked him up to five times, leaving him in tears.
The boy’s brother was also a victim at the hands of McGuire who repeatedly struck him when he was aged between eight and 11-years-old.
McGuire later shouted at a 16-year-old girl for misbehaving in a chapel.
Ms Aitchison stated: “She said she would teach her not to do it again.
“McGuire took a hairbrush and struck her to the back of the head which made her cry and become fearful.”
The final victim initially recalled McGuire being nice to her when she moved to the home.
However, the girl – who was aged between five and six – stated McGuire struck her again with a leather belt and recalled that it felt “nippy”.
The court heard that McGuire has left the nunnery after 1981 and has spent the last 40 years as a care worker.
McGuire, of Lochore, Fife, pled guilty to two charges of causing unnecessary suffering and one assault.
O’Gorman, who now resides in Ireland, admitted one charge of causing unnecessary suffering and three assaults.
Sentencing was deferred until next month pending background reports by Sheriff Louise Arrol KC who bailed both women meantime.
Follow STV News on WhatsApp
Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
