A former foster carer from Motherwell has been sentenced after she was convicted of ill-treatment towards children in her care.
Angela Hassan, 78, was told she must carry out 300 hours of unpaid community work as a direct alternative to a prison sentence.
Hassan, of North Lodge Avenue, was found guilty after trial at Hamilton Sheriff Court of cruel and unnatural treatment of two girls and a boy.
Some of the offences, which included physical abuse, dated back to the 1970s. They happened at houses in Craigneuk.
Sheriff Michael Higgins also placed Hassan under social work supervision for 15 months.
He told her: “You have been found guilty of serious offences involving children in your care.
“Each complainer gave evidence about the profound effect this had on them at the time and in later life.
“This behaviour happened repeatedly over a number of years.
“Children placed in your care were entitled to expect to be looked after properly and with respect, living in a safe and secure environment.”
Sheriff Higgins said Hassan had denied any wrongdoing and had continued to protest her innocence when interviewed by social workers compiling a criminal justice social work report. However, the jury had “rejected” her evidence.
The sheriff added: “This is your first and only experience with the criminal justice system and there has been no offending since.
“You are assessed as at minimal risk of re-offending.
“You were a foster carer for a long period of time and it’s estimated you looked after a few hundred children.
“In the absence of further allegations of this nature I’m willing to take the view you made a positive contribution to the lives of vulnerable children and to society.
“Given the gravity of these offences, the custodial threshold has been crossed, but I can’t impose custody on a person who has never served a prison sentence before unless there is no other disposal appropriate.
“I am satisfied that I can impose a community payback order which is a direct alternative to custody.”
Hassan was given 15 months to complete the unpaid work order.
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