Kirkcaldy couple sentenced for historical child abuse offences

A Kirkcaldy woman has avoided jail after being convicted of historical child abuse charges at the town’s sheriff court.

Barbara Patrick, 76, of Blackcraigs, was ordered to carry out 160 hours of unpaid work by Sheriff Pino Di Emidio after being found guilty of three charges relating to offences between December 25 1982 and August 7 1985.

The court heard how Patrick assaulted a young girl, then aged between nine and 12 years old, on various occasions by repeatedly striking her on the head and body with her hand, punching and kicking her on the body, seizing her by the hair and pulling her hair on one occasion, and seizing her by the head and pulling her head from side to side to her injury on another occasion.

She was also convicted of ill treating two girls, aged between nine and 12 and between eight and 11, during that period in a manner likely to cause them unnecessary suffering or injury in that she failed to provide adequate food and nourishment.

Between the same dates, she repeatedly struck a girl, then aged eight to 11, on the head and body with her hand, punched her and kicked her on the body.

Her co-accused, John Patrick, 73, was excused appearance in court as he now resides in Azerbaijan, but he was also sentenced for his part in the abuse, namely between July 11 and 31 1985 at an address in Blackcraigs he assaulted a girl then aged between nine and 12 and struck her on the body with his hand, kicked her on the body, picked her up and threw her across the room causing her to strike an unknown item and threw her against a chair causing it to break.

He was fined £800.