Five nuns in the United Kingdom have been charged with numerous counts of child abuse, including shocking allegations of forcing a child to eat vomit and using a hot iron on minors. The charges, which total 108 counts, cover a period of 17 years, primarily occurring at Nazareth House facilities in Aberdeen and Bonnyrigg, Midlothian, between 1965 and 1982.

The accused nuns, identified as Marie Docherty, Mary Broderick, Margaret McLafferty, Kathleen McLean, and Mary Doyle, are now set to face a preliminary hearing in January 2027, following a recent court session at the High Court in Glasgow. During this session, presided over by Lord Renucci, the court scheduled a trial to commence on March 30, 2027, with an estimated duration of eight weeks.

Among the most disturbing allegations against Docherty is that she forced a boy to consume spoiled food, struck him with a wooden stick, and locked him in a room. Further charges detail that she pressed a hot iron onto a teenage girl's hand and repeatedly assaulted her, as well as denying another girl food, which led to her fainting. This same girl was reportedly subjected to having soap forced into her mouth, which caused her to vomit, and was then allegedly made to eat the vomit.

The indictment also includes allegations that Docherty, Broderick, and Doyle compelled several children to kiss a corpse, alongside other accusations of physical abuse such as punching, kicking, and force-feeding children. Many of the allegations paint a grim picture of the treatment these children endured while in the care of the nuns.

All five nuns have previously entered pleas of not guilty to the charges against them, and the upcoming hearings will further address these serious accusations. The case has drawn significant public attention due to the nature of the allegations and the historical context of the abuse claims, highlighting a dark chapter in the care of vulnerable children in religious institutions in the UK.