Man jailed for whipping stepchildren

Andrew Robinson

A STEPFATHER who whipped two young boys like “animals” with a television cable has been jailed for two years.

The youngsters and another child had all been placed on an “at risk” register with social services before the man, who had previous convictions for common assault, moved into their Bradford home in 2007.

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In November that year, a community resource worker began dealing with the family, but the children’s mother was unwilling to work on her parenting skills.

Prosecutor Heather Weir said that by July 2008, the children’s mother had stopped social services from visiting the house.

From October 2008, the resource worker worked with two of the children during visits to their schools.

A month later, one of the boys made allegations that his stepfather hit him repeatedly with a television cable. When he was examined at hospital, parallel marks were found on his back.

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The boy claimed that his stepfather “whacked him” with a Scart lead every time he was naughty.

He said he didn’t tell anyone because his mother would make out he was lying. The youngest child also said he had been hit with the television cable.

School nurses reported the youngsters being in a dirty and unkempt state, with trousers or boots several sizes too big.

Mrs Weir said that on one occasion the fire brigade had been called to the family home in the early hours to deal with a fire in the garden.

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They found the 11-year-old boy alone in the house. There was dirt and mess everywhere and officers noted a disgusting smell.

When the couple returned at 6am, they said there had been a family emergency and they thought the 11-year-old could take care of himself.

In September 2007, officers called to a domestic incident at the house found the mother and stepfather were drunk. There was broken glass on the floor and little food in the fridge.

The mother pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to three charges of child cruelty, and last month her husband admitted two charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm in respect of two of the boys.

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After two of the boys were taken into foster care, they ate food extremely quickly and one of them described a Sunday lunch as “the best ******* meal I've ever had”.

The eldest of the three boys was described as having poor feet and teeth, poor clothing and strange eating habits.

Judge Jonathan Rose heard that the stepfather had previous convictions for common assaults involving younger members of his own family.

All three children were now the subject of care orders, but their mother was having regular contact with them.

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Judge Rose said the mother had failed to protect her own flesh and blood and he highlighted the fact that she had stopped social services coming to the house.

“They were coming to help you, to help you look after your children and yet you barred their way,” he added.

Judge Rose said it was beyond comprehension that a responsible parent would think it safe to leave an 11-year-old home alone.

The mother, who admitted three offences of child cruelty, was sentenced to eight months in jail suspended for two years.

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She will be also be supervised by the probation service for two years.

Judge Rose told her husband his behaviour had been reprehensible and he clearly posed a danger to other children.

“You beat those children with your hands and you whipped them as if they were animals,” said the judge.

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