The five nuns are named on an indictment containing 108 charges of alleged historic child abuse at Nazareth House
A further hearing has been scheduled in the case of five nuns facing historic abuse charges involving a number of children.
Marie Docherty, 84, Mary Broderick, 84, Margaret McLafferty, 68, Kathleen McLean, 77, and Mary Doyle, 81, are named on an indictment which contains 108 charges.
The charges span 17 years with offences alleged to have taken place mainly at Nazareth House locations in Aberdeen and Bonnyrigg, Midlothian, between 1965 and 1982.
Among the allegations, the indictment details claims that Docherty forced a boy to eat spoiled food, beat him with a wooden stick, made him stand wearing soiled bedding, and locked him in a room.
A separate charge alleges that Docherty pressed a hot iron onto a teenage girl’s hand, repeatedly struck her on her head and body, and forced her to lie in bed.
Docherty is also alleged to have withheld food from another girl, causing her to faint, while soap was reportedly forced into the same girl’s mouth, making her vomit. The indictment further alleges that her head was then pushed into the vomit and she was made to consume it.
Further charges allege that Docherty, Broderick, and Doyle compelled certain children to kiss a corpse.
Additional allegations within the indictment include children being punched, struck, kicked, force-fed, and made to stand in soiled bedding or clothing, amongst other serious claims.
A preliminary hearing was held at the High Court in Glasgow on Monday before Lord Renucci, who has set a further preliminary hearing for January 22 2027. A provisional eight-week trial has been scheduled to begin on 30 March 2027 in Glasgow.
The accused have previously entered pleas of not guilty.
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