A mother-of-two who claims she was tortured and kept in a cupboard for two days at an approved school run by nuns revealed she had been sent there for stealing two bras from Woolworths.

However, yesterday at Paisley Sheriff Court, Catherine Logan, 57, was accused of being a "fantasist".

She was giving evidence for a second day at the trial of Anne Kenny, 79, who faces four charges of assault, and Agnes Reville, 77, who is accused of five charges of assault.

The accusations involve a total of eight girls. In earlier evidence Mrs Logan identified Kenny as Mother Rosaria and Reville as Mother Martin – both nuns at the Dalbeath Approved School in Bishopton, Renfrewshire, at the time.

Mrs Logan told the jury that three years ago she visited the school for the first time in 41 years and that a riding crop like the one she claims was used to beat her still hung on a wall.

She was asked why she was sent to the institution and replied: "I took two brassieres from Woolworths."

Depute fiscal Douglas Hamilton then showed her a photograph and asked her what it was. Mrs Logan replied: "That's the torture cupboard, but it's changed. It's different – I hadn't seen it for 41 years – but it hadn't changed much."

She told the court she had been dragged into the cupboard on about a dozen occasions for alleged misbehaviour.

But Mrs Logan said it was only on one occasion that she was beaten and tied to piping in the cupboard and left for two days.

She was asked by Mr Hamilton: "Did anyone offer you food?" She replied: "No, nothing."

Mrs Logan said no-one had come to check on her in that time.

The jury of eight women and seven men were also told by Mrs Logan that she was hit with a riding crop after she ran away. Mrs Logan was asked how the alleged assault with the riding crop had come about. She said she had been taken to Mother Rosari's office and had spat on her and then was hit.

Mrs Logan also claimed she saw Mother Martin hit another girl, Patsy Timothy, after she found her smoking.

Mrs Logan said she "pulled her by the hair and struck her on the face" adding that Patsy was terrified of Mother Martin.

Defence QC Ronnie Clancy told the jury Mrs Logan had 26 previous convictions for dishonesty from 1969 to 2009.

He said the court would hear from other pupils at the approved school who described Mother Rosario as a kind and gentle person who never lifted a finger to anyone.

Mrs Logan said: "I would say they are liars".

The QC then told Mrs Logan: "You are either deliberately lying or you are a fantasist."

She replied: "Absolutely not".

Kenny, of Manchester, and Reville, of Newcastle, deny the charges.

The trial continues.

Wilma Riley