It was all in the name of God
The Sun, UK - 35 minutes ago
Fanatical Jehovah’s Witness Eunice Spry, 62, believed the two girls and a boy were possessed by the Devil and wanted to “purify” them. ... AN evil foster mother was yesterday convicted of horrifically abusing three children — to raise them “in accordance with her faith”. Fanatical Jehovah’s Witness Eunice Spry, 62, believed the two girls and a boy were possessed by the Devil and wanted to “purify” them. She beat them with sticks and metal bars, forced them to drink bleach and eat their own vomit and faeces, and starved them naked in a locked room for a month. She also kicked them, pushed sticks down their throats, strangled them, forced their hands on a hot cooker and rubbed their faces with sandpaper, a court was told. The kids were banned from listening to pop or wearing trendy clothes — and were punished if found with sweets or music mags. One punishment saw the trio, identified only as Victims A, B and C, forced to stay totally still for long periods. If they moved they would be beaten as a further deterrent. The abuse went undetected for almost 20 years as Spry pulled the youngsters out of school and taught them at her two rat-infested homes in Tewkesbury, Gloucs. Council inspectors also failed to spot the horror despite regularly visiting to check on the kids’ education. But it finally came to light in December 2004, when Victim A — one of the two girls — ran away from home. Victim B and Victim C, the boy, made statements to police and Spry, estranged from her second husband, was arrested in February 2005. Doctors called the kids’ injuries “extraordinary”. They also had depression. Both girls had attempted suicide. Spry, described as chilling and cold, denied abusing the three and said she was only trying to bring them up according to her faith. She told a jury at Bristol Crown Court: “I sweated blood for those children. I went to great lengths to protect them from immorality. “ From a Christian point of view we expect our children to be obedient. As it says in the Bible, ‘Children, be obedient to your parents and make the Lord proud’.” But after a five-week trial, jurors convicted her of 24 counts of abuse between 1986 and 2005 — plus two of intimidating witnesses. Judge Simon Darwall-Smith remanded Spry in custody pending reports before she is sentenced next month. Her three victims — now young adults — went to live with Spry as youngsters with social services approval. But Victim A said they were treated as “slaves”, rarely allowed out and told to lie about their bruises . She said: “We were beaten, starved, drowned in the bath and kicked down the stairs. “Mum had an array of sticks, and would beat us with them and kick us till we were collapsing with pain. “If we screamed she’d push the sticks down our throats.” Victim A said the family’s homes were infested with rats and the children would often sleep on the floor. At one point she said Spry made her wear a sign on her back at her local Jehovah’s Witnesses church, reading: “This child is evil. Do not look at her or talk to her.” The girl said her earliest memory was of Spry making her eat dog food and, when she was sick, eat the vomit. Victim B said Spry had a system of punishments for lying — heavily prohibited by Jehovah’s Witnesses. She said: “She’d pour washing-up liquid down our throats and say, ‘Don’t throw up or you’ll have more’. We were told not to speak to anyone. She believed other people were worldly as they didn’t believe in her religion.” Victim C said: “I can only describe mother’s punishment methods as torture.” Last night the Gloucestershire Safeguarding Children Board said lessons had to be learned from the case. A spokesman said: “These children were seen by many different professionals, but few were a consistent presence. Information was not shared.” [email protected] reporter [email protected]TIPS to the Sun
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