A WOMAN who claimed she was repeatedly beaten by nuns and forced to bathe in barely diluted disinfectant at a children's home in Belfast is to receive a £50,000 payout.
The settlement was announced at the High Court today after the woman sued the Sisters of Nazareth over her treatment while in their care decades ago.
Her lawyers claimed she was fed food unfit for human consumption and was subjected to assaults, neglect and humiliation at Nazareth House.
It was alleged that the woman endured repeated beatings with a leather strap, stick and bunch of keys.
She claimed fingernails were pressed into her arms and wrists and clumps of her hair were pulled out.
Papers in the case alleged she was forced to remain outdoors for lengthy periods in extremely cold weather while inadequately clothed.
The woman further claimed that she was put inside a cupboard several times.
She was also allegedly humiliated in front of other children for soiling her bed and was made to bathe in "barely diluted liquid disinfectant".
The woman's barrister Patrick Lyttle QC confirmed the terms of a resolution had been reached.
Her case had been settled for £50,000 plus costs, Mr Justice Maguire was told.
There is no admission of liability by the defendants.
Following the outcome the woman's solicitor insisted the Historical Institutional Abuse (HIA) Inquiry's recommendations for compensation for victims and survivors must be implemented.
Claire McKeegan of Phoenix Law said: "Given the ongoing failure of the Secretary of State to implement a redress package for Survivors and Victims in NI, we have no option than to litigate these matters before the courts.
"The derisory amounts of compensation that have been recommended by the HIA report do not in any way reflect the cruelty and degrading treatment that was inflicted on children during their time in care and the profound and permanent effect that has had."
