Jennifer Robertson

Jennifer Robertson, aged 79, was convicted of subjecting vulnerable foster children to severe physical and emotional abuse at her home in Murthly, Perthshire, Scotland, between 1980 and 1995. As an approved foster carer, she was in a position of trust but instead inflicted 'quite appalling' harms on children as young as 10 months old. Her actions included physically assaulting young girls, verbally degrading them with derogatory names, and force-feeding them, causing profound trauma that persisted for decades.

Compounding her direct abuses, Jennifer Robertson failed to take any steps to protect the children from sexual assaults and rapes committed by her son, Steven Robertson, against one of the girls on various occasions between 1988 and 1995. This complicity enabled the ongoing sexual exploitation within the household. The case involved a total of nine charges against her and her son, with convictions delivered on 20 March at the High Court in Edinburgh following survivor testimonies that brought the hidden crimes to light after many years.

Sentencing occurred on 17 April, where Judge John Morris KC imposed a community payback order on Jennifer Robertson, requiring her to complete 250 hours of unpaid work within 12 months, narrowly avoiding a custodial sentence due to her advanced age and the historical nature of the offences. The judge acknowledged the devastating impact, stating, 'It is clear your victims have suffered severe harm and continue to suffer severe trauma. You show a complete lack of remorse, even for the things you admit doing.' He noted that victims would have preferred imprisonment but cited her age as a mitigating factor. Dressed in a red cardigan, she displayed no reaction to the sentence and was also subjected to non-harassment orders.

The sentencing provoked strong reactions from victims in court, including tears and outbursts of anger. Two siblings issued a statement condemning the outcome as 'unfair and unjust', arguing that sentencing guidelines require reform to better serve survivors. Procurator fiscal Faye Cook highlighted Robertson's betrayal of duty, saying, 'Jennifer Robertson had a clear duty to protect the young people in her care and to keep them safe as an approved foster carer. Instead, she caused profound harm through sustained cruelty and abuse, including enabling others to sexually abuse the children.' Perth and Kinross Council affirmed their commitment to improving child protection practices based on such historical cases.