A LEADING young people's charity has spoken out on the sentencing of a child abuser convicted of cruel and unnatural treatment against vulnerable boys and girls dating back to the 1970s.

The NSPCC has praised the 'incredible courage' of survivors of Anne Whitty's campaign of crimes while she worked as a house mother at Quarrier's Village.

The 73-year-old was yesterday spared a prison sentence despite being found guilty by a jury of 11 charges spanning four decades.

Whitty, who was given the maximum number of unpaid work hours as an alternative to custody, force-fed, beat and verbally abused youngsters at the residential home having previously grown up in care at the site during her own childhood.

An NSPCC Scotland spokesperson, said: “This is a deeply upsetting case involving horrendous physical and psychological abuse against children spanning almost three decades.

"As house mother at Quarrier's, Whitty used and abused her position of trust to inflict pain and suffering on those that were placed in her care.

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“Abuse on this scale can have a lifelong impact and the survivors have shown incredible courage in coming forward to speak out about these terrible experiences."

The pensioner's catalogue of terror included hitting one boy with a wooden spoon, assaulting a four-year-old girl and pulling an 11-year-old female's head back and forced food into her mouth.

She placed one young girl in such a state of fear and alarm that she wet herself, while another young boy was slapped on the head between 2000 and 2003 as Whitty shouted alarming and derogatory words and phrases to him.

Her solicitor, Paul Mullen, told Paisley Sheriff Court that the first offender had demonstrated 'lapses of judgement while dealing with troubled children' who had displayed 'challenging behaviour'.

Sheriff Thomas McCartney said Whitty was 'in denial' and 'unable to acknowledge the extent of the ill-treatment of the child victims'.

The sheriff said: "The evidence in this trial principally came from the survivors of this abuse, all now adults. They displayed strength and bravery in coming to court to give evidence in what will have been a hugely difficult experience for them being required to revisit those painful memories from the past."

The NSPCC Scotland spokesperson added: "We hope they are now receiving all the support they need to move forwards with their lives.

“Any adult concerned about a child’s safety or wellbeing can contact the NSPCC Helpline at help@nspcc.org.uk or by calling 0808 800 5000. Children who have been affected by this, or any other issue, can contact Childline on 0800 1111 or visit childline.org.uk.”