Inquiry hears of child abuse claims

A man who spent two years in hospital after being subjected to cold baths for wetting his bed in a children’s home has described the institution as a “prison camp”.

Thomas Hagan, 82, was a resident at Quarrier’s Village, in Renfrewshire, between 1938 and 1952 and said it “ruined” his life.

The late- 19th century development consisted of dozens of orphan homes which were run by a house mother and house father.

Mr Hagan waived his right to anonymity in a written statement to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (SCAI).

In the statement, he describes how his house father would beat him with a leather belt then put him in a cold bath if he wet the bed.

He said the baths would “turn his legs blue” and he thought he could die.

The witness said: “He did this to me every night because I would wet the bed nearly every night.

“I would lie in bed scared because he would batter me.”

Mr Hagan said he tried to tell others and he was eventually taken to a nearby sanatorium – aged six or seven – when he collapsed after being pulled from a cold bath.

He returned to Quarriers after lengthy treatment and said he was continually beaten as he still wet the bed.

The inquiry later heard from a woman who lived in Quarriers from 1968 until 1970 when she left aged 11.

The witness, who cannot be identified, said she was beaten by her house mother with a wet towel on her first day in care and attacks continued weekly.

A statement was also read from Doris Walker, who worked at Quarriers as a house mother’s helper for a month in 1968.

She thought it would be good experience before a career in teaching but found it a “damaging environment”.

In her statement Ms Walker said she saw the house mother hit children, including one boy with a tin of fruit.

The inquiry continues.