A woman accused of assaulting babies and toddlers at what was once one of the north-east’s top private schools will go on trial next week.
About 14 witnesses will be called on to give evidence when Hannah Jamieson appears at Aberdeen Sheriff Court to face a string of allegations that she mistreated youngsters when she worked at the city’s Hamilton School.
The family-run business in Queen’s Road was closed by the Scottish Government last year following a probe by watchdogs and police.
An adjoining nursery was shut down just 24 hours later after the Care Inspectorate visited the premises.
Owner and principal Kathlyn Taylor and Jamieson – her 26-year-old employee – were charged.
However, more than a year later the Crown Office revealed it was no longer seeking to prosecute Mrs Taylor.
Jamieson, of 76 Airyhall Avenue, Aberdeen, is facing accusations she dragged a child across the ground, held blankets over babies’ faces and forced a baby into a high chair.
She is also accused of assaulting a nine-month-old boy by pushing him on the head to get him to lie down to sleep, and also picking up a 16-month-old girl in an “aggressive or forceful manner”.
It is also alleged that Jamieson pulled an 11-month-old boy by the leg, causing him to fall and bang his head, and that she assaulted a 15-month-old boy by pushing him.
In addition, she is accused of behaving in a “threatening or abusive” manner by shouting and acting aggressively towards children in her care.
The offences are alleged to have happened during a nine-month period at the school between March and December 2013.
At a brief court hearing yesterday – which Jamieson was excused from – fiscal depute Jamie Dunbar updated Sheriff William Taylor on the Crown’s progress in assembling the relevant witnesses.
He said 10 had been cited successfully and that efforts would be made to cite the rest before the trial next week.
Jamieson will appear in court on Friday.