Father Jailed for Child Abuse in Shropshire

A 77-year-old father has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison for subjecting his children to 15 years of severe physical and emotional abuse during the 1970s and 80s. The court heard harrowing accounts, including instances where he forced his children to eat their pet rabbit and choose which dog to abandon in the countryside, while they watched it chase the family car. The judge described his actions as 'sadistic and gratuitous' and emphasized that his treatment of the children went beyond reasonable discipline. The prosecutor noted that all three children have suffered lasting psychological damage, with some becoming alcohol-dependent and one attempting suicide. Despite denying the charges and claiming he was merely a 'disciplinarian,' he was convicted of multiple counts of child cruelty and actual bodily harm. The judge labeled him a 'bully and a sadist,' highlighting the regular cruelty inflicted on his children throughout their formative years.