A heartless foster carer who forced children to eat their own vomit during years of abuse has been jailed.
Cruel Rachel Lessels, 72, sobbed as she was handed a prison sentence for abusing and mistreating children in her care.
Jurors found her guilty of abusing three youngsters at her former home on School Brae, Letham, Fife, between 2006 and 2009.
Lessels was found guilty of reduced charges from the original indictment.
‘Offences against defenceless children’
At Dundee Sheriff Court, two of the pensioner’s victims – now adults – recalled the horror of being forced to eat their own vomit.
One of the victims said his mouth began to bleed after Lessels shoved a fork containing food into his mouth.
“In my view, what remains here are still grave offences against defenceless children in your care,” Sheriff Paul Brown told Lessels.
“The offences were prolonged and involved multiple instances of serious cruelty.
“Both witnesses (who gave evidence) are still emotionally impacted by your offending.
“I take into account all of the mitigation before me, your previous good character and difficulties you experienced in the past.
“Given the seriousness of these offences and the inappropriateness of alternatives to custody, there is no alternative to prison.”
Forced vomit into child’s mouth
The court heard how Lessels was responsible for more than 50 children between 2004 until the allegations came to light in 2017.
She claimed the two victims who gave evidence against her were lying, adding she would “never” have harmed them.
Lessels, of Myreside Avenue, Kennoway, was found guilty of wilfully ill-treating the first victim between May 2006 and October 2008 by shouting at him, forcing him to stand for long periods of time and forcing him to sit on the floor.
He had his head seized by Lessels during the same time before having food and vomit forced into his mouth.
The jury cleared Lessels of destroying his personal possessions, forcing him to walk outside naked, striking his head against a cupboard, seizing his genitals and forcing a soiled nappy into his mouth.
Will never again work with children
Lessels was convicted of acting aggressively, forcing the second victim to stand for long periods of time and making them eat vomit between May and July 2009.
During the same time period, Lessels seized the same victim’s neck and arm.
She was cleared of forcing the second victim’s head under water for periods of time.
Lessels was also found guilty of forcing a third victim to stand for periods of time.
The pensioner was found not proven of a sixth charge of forcing her fingernails into the ears of the third complainer.
Defence counsel Mark Moir QC said Lessels would never work with children again given her conviction, adding that a restriction of liberty order would be an appropriate sentence.
An emotional Lessels was sentenced to 14 months in prison.
