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Frances Forsyth, 79, stands accused of physically and sexually abusing six children at her home in the Wester Hailes area of Edinburgh between 1973 and 1980.

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Court papers allege Forsyth wilfully ill-treated the children by “compelling them to eat dog food” and holding one youngster’s hand “against a cooker ring”.

The case is being heard at Edinburgh's Sheriff Court

Further allegations state Forsyth forced one child in her care to “live outside in a tent” and to assaulting another child by “holding her head over a frying pan on a lit cooker”.

'Abandoned the children'

The historical charges also claim the OAP indecently abused one child by whipping her before inserting the whip into the schoolgirl’s vagina.

Forsyth is also claimed to have force fed some of the children and failed to get them medical attention when they needed it.

The charges also allege Forsyth “failed to intervene in the knowledge that [the children] were being physically and sexually abused by an adult” and instructing the man to physically assault the children.

She is also said to have “abandoned the children to reside alone” and claimed to have assaulted the children by punching, kicking and slapping the youngsters on separate occasions over several years.

Case continues

Forsyth, of Edinburgh, appeared at the capital’s sheriff court on Thursday where she failed to enter the dock due to a disability.

Forsyth attended court with the aid of a walking frame and pleaded not guilty to the allegations against her from her seat in the public gallery.

Sheriff Kenneth McGowan continued the case to a further intermediate diet to be held later this month.

Forsyth is facing a total of eight separate historical charges on indictment which are all said to have occurred between September 21, 1973 and November 10, 1980.

Pensioner who allegedly whipped children and forced them to eat dog food appears in court