Quarrier's Village child abuser bids to avoid court hearings

Euphemia Ramsay, who lives on the Isle of Man, is required to attend quarterly check-ups here as part of a community-based punishment for her crimes dating back to the late 1960s and early 1970s.

A lawyer for the 77-year-old claimed at the latest calling of the case that the former Quarrier's Village house parent is forking out hundreds of pounds to make the more than 500-mile round trip by ferry and car from her home.

However, Sheriff Anthony McGeehan rejected a plea for the pensioner to get out of the mandatory dates and insisted that she must be present for the next hearing in June.

Euphemia Ramsay (Image: NQ)

Ramsay was found guilty by a jury in August of two charges of cruel and unnatural treatment having meted out beatings to a primary school-aged boy and girl at the residential care site and subjected them to humiliation and torment.

The trial heard that the OAP repeatedly punched and kicked one victim on his head, struck him with a slipper and spat in his face, as well as forcing him to bathe in cold water and sleep on a concrete floor in an outhouse.

READ MORE: Fresh court order imposed for cruel OAP convicted of abusing children in her care

On occasions when the child - aged between five and six at the time - had wet the bed, she forced him to remove his nightwear and stand naked in front of other residents.

Ramsay seized another child by the body and forced her on to a table before instructing another person to force feed her.

She also struck the second child, who was aged between eight and 10, with a shoe to her injury.

It was revealed that she was convicted of similar offences, which occurred around the same time, in 2006 court proceedings.

She was spared jail last year for her 'appalling' crimes and instead placed on a supervision and curfew order with unpaid work hours.

READ MORE: Cruel pensioner avoids jail for historic child abuse at Quarrier's Village

Wednesday's hearing was told that Ramsay is 'engaging well, complying with all matters of the sentence' and has completed almost half of the maximum 300 hours of unpaid work handed out.

Solicitor Paul Cook highlighted the 'significant expense' for Ramsay in getting to the court from her home, stating that it costs 'somewhere in the region of £700' each time.

Sheriff McGeehan said: "These are serious matters for which the accused was convicted.

"These matters called on indictment and it is only appropriate that the court takes a close supervision role in relation to the disposal of a non-custodial sentence.

"If she continues to progress next time this might be addressed then, possibly by extending the period of review thereby minimising the need to return to court."

A further review hearing has been scheduled for June 12 and Ramsay was ordered to attend.