A Catholic monk who conducted a "regime of fear" against pupils at a residential school has been convicted of a string of sexual and violent offences.

Michael Murphy, 82, was known as Brother Benedict or Brother Ben to children in his care at St Joseph's List D School in Tranent, East Lothian, where he attacked youngsters over a decade up to 1981.

A jury at the High Court in Edinburgh convicted Murphy of 15 charges of assault and indecent assault involving eight boys on Thursday. He was acquitted of a further two charges.

Victims told his trial he had laughed when administering electric shocks to boys using a hand-wound generator dubbed "the tickler".

One boy had his hands burned and another fell unconscious after being given a shock as a punishment for speaking out about violence. A pupil was locked in an unlit cupboard overnight while another was urinated on by the De La Salle brother.

A former pupil told the trial he was indecently assaulted by Murphy, who told him he was "checking" him. Another boy was sexually assaulted by Murphy and an accomplice in the showers when he was 14 or 15.

He was warned that if he told anyone about the sexual abuse he would never see his parents again. A further victim recalled the Catholic brother administering electric shocks and "squeezing my wee hand".

He said. "I am 44 now. This is when I was 11 but I can remember the shock. It was sore."

He was asked how Murphy appeared as shocks were given and replied: "As if he was getting enjoyment out of it."

One former pupil said of the school: "It was just run on a regime of fear."

The court heard Murphy would use serious violence to intimidate the young boys, kicking one boy at the bottom of his spine while wearing steel toe boots and grabbing others by the ears and pulling them until they were on their tiptoes.

Victims described how their traumatic experiences haunted them in later life.

Murphy, from Hampshire, who is a trained social worker, had maintained his innocence.

He said he had taken three vows of poverty, chastity and obedience and told the court: "I have never been involved in sexual abuse in my life with a man, woman or child."

Judge Lord Uist adjourned the proceedings until Friday after the jury returned its verdict.