A Lanarkshire woman who terrorised two boys during a three year campaign of abuse is facing jail.
Nicola Sherlock, 35, threatened one youngster with a knife and forced soap into the mouth of another when they were aged between three and eight.
Both boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons, sparked a police investigation after revealing they had been abused in properties in Wishaw.
One boy, aged between three and seven when he was targeted, told officers Sherlock repeatedly put a blade to his neck and struck him on his backside. He also told how he had witnessed her put a knife to her own throat and threaten to kill herself.
The older boy, then aged between four and eight, said Sherlock had repeatedly forced soap into his mouth and also struck him on his backside.
Sherlock, of Wishaw, denied all wrongdoing and went on trial at Hamilton Sheriff Court but a jury took four hours to convict her of acting in a threatening or abusive manner and two charges of assault between September 2015 and May 2018.
Allegations Sherlock had caused both youngsters to participate in sexual activity between January 2018 and May 2018 were found not proven.
The court was shown video interviews where the boys told officers of the abuse they had suffered.
The older boy said he was left ‘scared’ after Sherlock turned a blade on herself.
He added: “She was cutting onions in the kitchen and said, ‘I’m going to kill myself’, and it made me feel scared.
“It was a big knife.”
Depute fiscal Abby Seal urged jurors to convict Sherlock of the charges she faced.
She said: “Where would young children, these very young children, get these things from unless they happened?
“There has been no evidence that these children were told to make things up, no evidence whatsoever.
“Time and time again, the accused’s position was that the children were mistaken and that they were lying but what she didn’t do was elaborate on how they could be mistaken. The reason for that is the children didn’t lie and what they said was the truth.”
Janice Green, defence advocate, urged the jury to acquit her client.
She said: “Nicola Sherlock has been deeply upset throughout this entire process and these allegations are utter nonsense.
“Children are often unrealistic while giving accounts of events and sometimes children believe what they are seeing, they are like sponges and hear things and sometimes they mix things up.
“They exaggerate and think things have happened to them when they did not and frankly these are extraordinary allegations.
“I urge you to look at all of the evidence and clear Nicola Sherlock of any wrongdoing.”
Sheriff Andrew McIntyre deferred sentence on first offender Sherlock until next month for reports and continued bail.
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