Judges Dismiss Care Home Claims

Judges have thrown out claims for compensation by former residents of a children’s home run by nuns in Glasgow.

Appeal Court judges said they were too late in bringing the case which centred on claims of physical abuse and lack of care in 1960s and 1970s.

The judgement has effectively ended the action of about 450 people.

The rejected claims were test cases brought by three former residents of the Nazareth House children’s home in Cardonald on Glasgow’s south side.

A further 450 people awaited the outcome.

In a hearing, which lasted several weeks at the Court of Session, former residents alleged that they had suffered physical abuse and a lack of care which had psychologically damaged them.

Judge Lord Drummond Young had refused to ignore the time bar for such actions and dismissed the case.

He said the action was at least 10 years after the time limit had elapsed and at least 21 years since the alleged abuse ended.

Following a review of that decision, appeal court judges ruled Lord Drummond Young was right to have rejected the case.

Cameron Fyfe, the residents’ lawyer, said it was probably the end of the matter but he pointed out that most have already received criminal injuries compensation of several thousand pounds.