Couple appeal over cruelty convictions

2:06pm Sunday 11th May 2008

A religious tyrant imprisoned for nine years for sadistically torturing his sons claims a jury wrongly found him guilty.

The Bradford man, branded "highly opinionated, arrogant and contemptuous" by a judge has lodged an appeal against his conviction.

His wife, who turned a blind eye to the beatings and mutilation of her two children, is appealing against her six-year jail sentence.

A spokesman for the Court of Appeal Criminal Division in London confirmed the couple had both lodged an appeal.

The court was now awaiting further documents before a judge decided if the case should go to a full hearing.

The spokesman said she could not reveal what the grounds of the appeal were.

The man and his wife, who cannot be named to protect the identity of their children, were jailed at Bradford Crown Court on Tuesday.

The man, 47, was convicted in January of 11 charges of cruelty and wounding. His wife, 41, was found guilty of two charges of cruelty.

The boys told the jury they were tortured with safety pins, clothes pegs and scalpel blades.

They said their father sewed up the wounds to their mouths with a home medical kit.

Their mother picked a blunt needle because it would be more painful.

The younger boy said he was tied to a chair, blindfolded and left all night with a safety pin through his mouth.

His brother was trussed up with cable and locked in a dark cupboard. Both boys are now in local authority care.

The court heard that the couple continued to deny all the allegations of beating and torture.

They say their sons made up the stories and blame "agencies" for plotting to remove their children.

The man told the probation service he was the victim of a conspiracy.

The boys' school, foster parents, police, social services, and even Judge Prince himself, were "informed by racism".

The court heard the man's wife also remained "in denial".

The couple, described as "united", both sat impassively in the dock with arms folded as the jail sentences were dealt out.

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