Woman forced girl to sit in cold water

Awoman who abused two children, including forcing one to sit in a bath of cold water, argued the offences were committed at a time “when more robust punishment was tolerated”.

Patricia Monaghan continues to maintain her innocence, despite being found guilty by a jury of three of the charges she faced.

Dunfermline Sheriff Court heard the 58-year-old faces losing her job as a school cleaner following conviction.

The court had previously heard how the abuse had taken place at various addresses in Fife in the late ’80s and early ’90s.

Advocate Bill Adam told the court that the offences were “from a time when more robust punishment was tolerated” but conceded Monaghan’s actions were not acceptable.

However, he added that despite being found guilty by a jury, she still claims not to have offended.

He said: “Mrs Monaghan maintains her innocence in the face of all allegations, and in relation to what she was convicted of she also maintains her innocence.

“She was acquitted of the more serious aspects of the libel and I would submit that with those deletions the level is clearly diminished.” He added Monaghan had suffered childhood trauma which continued to affect her in the present day.

Monaghan, of Caithness, was found guilty after a trial of wilfully mistreating a young girl over a 12-year period from the mid-1980s.

At addresses in Methil and Buckhaven, she repeatedly shouted and swore at the girl, who is now an adult, confined her to an attic and forced her to sit in a bath of cold water.

She was further convicted of assaulting her after she reached adulthood, just days before Christmas in 2001, at a different address in Buckhaven by punching and kicking her.

Monaghan was convicted of wilfully ill-treating a boy on various occasions over eight years by shouting, swearing and locking him in a room.

Accusations such as forcing one of the children to eat until they vomited were dropped from the charges.

Sentencing her, Sheriff Susan Duff told her it was clear she had not intended to cause harm with regard to the ill-treatment charges but considered she had intended to cause harm when she assaulted the woman. She noted the offences took place more than 20 years ago and

Monaghan had led a “prosocial” life since then.

Sheriff Duff placed her on an 18-month supervision order with a requirement that she participate in the Decider Skills programme.

She also ordered her to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work.