November 2018 Kirkcaldy couple spared jail for child abuse offences A Kirkcaldy woman has avoided jail after being convicted of historic child abuse charges. Barbara Patrick, 76, of Blackcraigs, was ordered to carry out 160 hours of unpaid work after being found guilty of three charges relating to offences between December 25 1982 and August 7 1985. Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard how Patrick assaulted a young girl on various occasions by repeatedly striking her on the head and body with her hand, punching and kicking her on the body, seizing her by the hair and pulling her hair on one occasion, and seizing her by the head and pulling her head from side to side to her injury on another occasion. She was also convicted of ill treating two girls during that period in a manner likely to cause them unnecessary suffering or injury in that she failed to provide adequate food and nourishment. Between the same dates, she repeatedly struck a girl on the head and body with her hand, punched her and kicked her on the body. Her co-accused, John Patrick, 73, was excused appearance in court as he now resides in Azerbaijan, but he was also sentenced for his part in the abuse, namely that between July 11 and 31 1985 at an address in Fife he assaulted a girl then aged between nine and 12 and struck her on the body with his hand, kicked her on the body, picked her up and threw her across the room causing her to strike an unknown item and threw her against a chair causing it to break. He was fined £800.