PETER BLANEY FROM KILSYTH AND LASSWADE JAILED FOR SEX ABUSE AT NAZARETH HOUSE IN LASSWADE AND ABERDEEN

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the local communities of Kilsyth and Lasswade, Peter Blaney, aged 53, has been sentenced to six years in prison after admitting to the sexual abuse of two young boys at the Nazareth House children’s home located in Lasswade. The sentencing took place on the 1st of September, but the court imposed a reporting ban that prevented the details from being made public until the conclusion of the trial of Sister Marie Docherty, also known as Sister Alphonso, who was found guilty of four charges of cruelty against children at the Nazareth House facilities in both Lasswade and Aberdeen.

Blaney’s admission of guilt was made during proceedings at the High Court in Edinburgh, where he confessed to the repeated sexual abuse of two brothers residing at the Lasswade home. The abuse occurred over a period stretching from August 1969 to February 1972. It was revealed that Blaney had been a resident at the home, which was operated by nuns from the Order of the Sisters of Nazareth, and that he was allowed to stay there four days a week to assist the staff, following permission granted by the mother superior when he was 22 years old.

The two brothers, who arrived at the home in 1968, became victims of Blaney’s predatory behavior. The older brother, who was just nine years old at the time, recounted to police how he was subjected to regular abuse after the nuns had gone to bed. According to his testimony, Blaney would take him into his bed, remove his pajamas, and carry out sexual acts before returning him to his own bed. The court heard that these assaults happened approximately twice a week, and that the victim learned to 'switch off' mentally during these traumatic episodes to cope with the ordeal.

The older boy also described how Blaney would tell him that what was happening was a 'secret,' adding a layer of psychological manipulation to the physical abuse. The younger brother, who was only seven years old, was also involved in incidents that took place away from the dormitory. On one occasion, while Blaney was molesting the young boy in the wash house, a nun knocked on the door, demanding to know the whereabouts of the helper. The boy later expressed feeling terrified as Blaney signaled for him to remain silent.

Further disturbing accounts revealed that Blaney had pulled the younger boy into bushes while they were swimming in a river, away from the watchful eyes of the nuns. When the authorities informed the boys that they would be leaving the home, the younger brother was said to have cried with relief, indicating the profound impact of the abuse on their young lives. The court’s findings have highlighted the grave misconduct that took place within the walls of Nazareth House, and the community’s concern over the failure of the institution to protect its vulnerable residents.