Court Hears Kids Had No Food or Water for Days

By Lynn Jolly
Paisley Daily Express
May 2, 2013

http://www.paisleydailyexpress.co.uk/renfrewshire-news/2013/05/02/court-hears-kids-had-no-food-or-water-for-days-87085-33269348/

A woman yesterday claimed she was dragged into a detention room at an approved school run by nuns and left there without food or drink for two days.

At Paisley Sheriff Court, 58-year-old Barbara Young claimed that one of the nuns who put her in the locked room was Mother Martin.

Miss Young was giving evidence at the trial of Anne Kenny, 79, known as Mother Rosaria, and Agnes Reville, 77, known as Mother Martin, who deny assaulting girls at Dalbeath Approved School in Bishopton, Renfrewshire, in the 1970s.

Prosecutor Douglas Hamilton asked Miss Young, who was sent to Dalbeath in 1971: “What did Mother Martin do to you?”

She replied: “I couldn’t say it was just her, there were others. I was pulled into a room. She just dragged me and her nails cut into me.”

Miss Young told the jury she was put into the detention room three or four times for trying to run away from Dalbeath.

She was asked how long she was in the locked room for and said: “A couple of days.”

Mr Hamilton asked: “Were you given food?” and she replied: “No.”

Under cross-examination by Robert Anthony QC, defending Mother Martin, the jury heard that Miss Young was sent to Dalbeath for shoplifting and has numerous convictions for theft.

She was asked by Mr Anthony: “Have you been a dishonest person throughout your life?” and replied: “Not really, no.”

The QC then said: “Have you been convicted on many occasions of theft?” and she said: “Yes.”

Mr Anthony asked: “Throughout your life you have been a dishonest person?” She replied: “Yes.”

The trial before Sheriff Susan Sinclair continues.