Third day of Quarriers trial Email from Quarriers Warriors, 21/01/2006 MORE details from the files of nine alleged child abuse victims were revealed to a jury yesterday. Chief executive of Quarriers Phil Robinson was giving evidence on the third day at the sheriff court. He was being cross examined by the defence QC Edgar Prais in the trial of Ruth Wallace, a former cottage mother at Quarriers, who denies 15 charges dating back to the 1970s. Some of the records referred to medical and emotional problems suffered by the children because of family difficulties. One told how an alleged victim later contacted the home and requested old photographs as they brought back happy memories. Another spoke of foster friends from out with the village and a "good relationship" with Mrs Wallace. Mr Robinson agreed with Mr Prais that in recent years Quarriers had attracted attention in the press. The alleged offences involve children as young as 3. Mrs Wallace is said to have emptied a bucket of potatoes over the head of one child, locked children in cupboards, force fed them, forced a child's head into a refuse bin,and forced another to sleep on a wet mattress. Two charges are of a sexual nature and allege lewd, indecent and libidinous practices towards a boy and a girl. She is also accused of stripping a girl of between 3 and 4 naked, placing her in a bath of cold water and forcing her against a hot radiator to her severe injury. The trial continues. |