A GROUP of survivors of child abuse are to sue nuns who ran two Catholic residential homes near Glasgow for compensation.

Thompsons Solicitors say they are currently pursuing 10 cases on behalf of those abused at Smyllum Park in Lanark and Bellevue House in Rutherglen. The legal firm are taking legal action against the Sisters of the Charity of Saint Vincent De Paul for their clients who suffered horrific abuse at the hands of the religious order.

The news of their legal proceedings comes after the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry published its interim report last week into the abuse suffered by children over decades at the hands of nuns and priests who worked there.

The report overseen by the inquiry chair Lady Smith concluded that children suffered sickening sexual and physical abuse over decades at these homes. Dozens of survivors were able to give evidence to the inquiry and for many it was the first time they have been believed by the authorities.

Thompsons Solicitors’ partner Laura Connor, who leads the firm’s survivors team, said: “Many of those who gave evidence to the inquiry about Smyllum and Bellevue are our clients and the evidence they have provided the inquiry and ourselves means that we are now able to proceed immediately with this legal action.

“It’s important to survivors that the charity now formally acknowledge the inquiry’s finding, issue an apology to those who have been affected and admit liability in civil claims against them.

“This will allow the survivors from these institutions to gain some form of justice for the life changing abuse they have suffered.”

She added: “What we and the survivors expect is for the Sisters of Charity to meet with us now and for these legal matters to be sorted as quickly as possible.

“We expect The Sisters Of Charity to show compassion and understanding in this matter and not to put people who have already suffered so much at their hands through further anguish and delay.”

Lady Smith previously said: ““For many children who were in Smyllum and Bellevue, the homes were places of fear, coercive control, threat, excessive discipline and emotional, physical and sexual abuse, where they found no love, no compassion, no dignity and no comfort.”

Lady Smith continued: “For some children, being hit was a normal aspect of daily life.”