The five nuns are named on an indictment containing 108 charges of alleged historic child abuse at Nazareth House locations in Aberdeen and Bonnyrigg
Emma O’Neill Content Editor and Danyel VanReenen
13:21, 31 Aug 2026Updated 13:22, 31 Aug 2026
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 containing 108 charges.
The charges span 17 years, with offences allegedly occurring primarily at Nazareth House locations in Aberdeen and Bonnyrigg, Midlothian, between 1965 and 1982. The indictment includes an allegation that Docherty forced a boy to consume spoiled food, striking him with a wooden stick, and forcing him to stand wearing soiled bedding and locking him in a room.
A further charge alleges Docherty pressed a hot iron onto a teenage girl’s hand and repeatedly struck her on her head and body and forced to lie in bed.
(Image: Daily Record)
Docherty allegedly withheld food from another girl, causing her to faint. The same girl also allegedly had soap forced into her mouth, causing her to vomit.
The charges allege that her head was then pushed into the vomit, and she was instructed to eat it. Additional charges allege that Docherty, Broderick, and Doyle compelled some children to kiss a corpse.
The indictment further includes allegations that children were punched, struck, kicked, force-fed, forced to stand while wearing soiled bedding or clothing and more.
A preliminary hearing took place at the High Court in Glasgow on Monday before Lord Renucci, who scheduled 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.