Jennifer Robertson, 79, avoided jail despite the brutal abuse of children in her care. Meanwhile, her son Steven Robertson, 52, was locked up for 11 years for raping and sexually assaulting young girls.
Horrific Abuse Spanning 15 Years
The nightmare unfolded in Murthly, Perthshire, where Jennifer subjected toddlers as young as 10 months to horrifying treatment between 1980 and 1995. She physically battered young girls, forced food down their throats, and humiliated them with cruel name-calling. Her son Steven targeted girls under five years old, abusing them alongside his now-dead father Alan Robertson during the 1980s and 1990s.
Sentencing Drama at Edinburgh High Court
Both mother and son were convicted last month after initially denying all charges. Steven received a prison term of 11 years, plus an extra 3 years under strict supervision, and his name was added to the sex offenders’ register for life. Jennifer was handed a Community Payback Order, including 250 hours of unpaid work and strict conduct requirements. Both are banned from contacting their victims indefinitely through non-harassment orders.
Victims Demand Justice Over Council Failings
A brother and sister, who were among the abused children, plan to sue Perth & Kinross Council over alleged social work failures. In a joint statement, they blasted the system for ignoring their cries for help since they were just four and nine years old.
“To this day, we still carry the trauma of what happened. Jennifer shoved food down our throats and humiliated us by making us wear underwear on our heads whenever we had accidents. We survived together but the abuse broke us to the point we couldn’t even be near each other without pain,” they said. “We reported the abuse repeatedly, but social workers disbelieved us and did nothing. Perth & Kinross Council knew for decades and failed us. We won’t rest until they admit it.”
The horrifying crimes only came to light in 2018, sparking a police probe that led to six witnesses stepping forward. Justice is finally catching up, but questions remain over how the abuse was allowed to go unchecked for so long.
