The former director of a Bous nursery was sentenced to three years in prison on Thursday, along with a two-year suspension.

The woman, who ran the "Kind Lion" nursery prior to its closure in 2017, was accused of intimidating and mistreating 15 children in her care, as well as at least three former staff members. She will face a year in prison, after the prosecution recommended a prison sentence lasting at least four years The defence pushed for an acquittal.

On Thursday morning, magistrates also imposed a €3,000 fine, and ruled that the accused may not commit new criminal offences over the next five years, while her political and civil rights will apply to the penal code for the same time period. The court also awarded moral damages worth €1,000 to one civil party, and a second will receive 330 euros in material damages.

Throughout the trial, former staff members described the defendant as aggressive and generally unsuited to the profession, displaying rude behaviour towards employees. She was said to have forced children at the nursery to eat until the point of crying and throwing up, and refused to change nappies on a regular basis in order to save money. Staff said nappies were rationed.

The nursery was closed by the Ministry of Education in October 2017. The examples of the woman's behaviour discussed in court date back to the period from 2014 to 2017.