Victims describe 'house of terror' abuse by mother, grandmother and stepfather

A mother, grandmother and stepfather who subjected three children to years of abuse in a "house of terror" have avoided jail.

Shirley Freeman, Julia Stephen and David McColl's victims were beaten, starved and psychologically tormented between 2003 and 2012.

Freeman, 51, and Stephen, 69, were earlier found guilty of cruel and unnatural treatment. McColl, 50, admitted the crimes.

At Aberdeen Sheriff Court, Sheriff Craig Findlater said no sentence could "repair the awful childhoods" of the trio's victims.

Warning: This article contains descriptions of child abuse

Freeman was sentenced to 18 months probation, 240 hours of unpaid work, and a 12-month restriction of liberty order, as a direct alternative to custody.

Stephen was ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and given 18 months probation.

And McColl was sentenced to 220 hours of unpaid work, 18 months probation, and an 11-month restriction of liberty order.

Victims William and Meaghann Murphy, who are now 25 and 28, told BBC Scotland News the violence and cruelty they experienced as children became normal.

William said he was "utterly disappointed" at what he described as the "leniency" of the sentence.

"Violence and psychological terror resulted in nothing more than unpaid work and a curfew," he said.

"This system has failed my sisters and me, but we refuse to let it silence us. We must do better. We must stop child abusers from walking away with a slap on the wrist."

Their younger sister, Rebekah Simpson, 23, said the abuse she received had had a lifelong impact on her mental and physical health.

She said she felt that the court did not fully consider the impact the experience had had on her - but she was not disappointed with the sentences.

"Not having to speak to them again is justice for me," she said.

"I want to be able to walk the streets and know they will be punished if they try and approach me."

The abuse happened at an address in Balloch, Dunbartonshire, and at a flat in Aberdeen's Bedford Avenue.

A trial heard that Freeman, now of Cullen, Moray, had created a "house of terror" for the children.

"The things that stick out for me were the anger, the violent outbursts that would come from my mother," Meaghann said.

"William and I were both locked in a room and because I was bursting for the toilet I had to take all my clothes out of my bottom drawer and use that.

"She went ballistic about it. I got slapped about for that. After that, instead of letting us out the room, she just put a bucket in the room.

"So my experience from the get-go has been just straight-up cruelty."

She described being deprived of food for days at a time and said locks were placed on cupboards to prevent the children helping themselves.

The court heard Freeman repeatedly struck the children with a metal-studded belt.

William said: "For as long as I can remember, family life was chaotic and unpredictable, and at times quite hostile. We were often made to sleep on the floor as a punishment.

"Sometimes when we had been really bad, they called it sleep deprivation, where they got us to stand up, like in a line, and we were made to stay awake.

"Your mind starts to play tricks on you. I remember starting to see faces in the wall.

"If we were dozing off or showed any sign that we weren't taking it seriously, things were thrown at us, or we were shouted at, and the punishment was then extended."

He said his older sister tried to protect him.

"Meaghann was effectively like a human mattress," he recalled.

"She took the brunt of sleeping on the concrete, and she would then let myself cuddle into her and rub the back of my head.

"She tried to shield us from as much as possible. She was our protector."

Meaghann said she continued to struggle with feelings of guilt over what happened, as she could not offer more protection.

"I'll live with it for the rest of my life," she said.

"I will never forgive myself for the things I had to see and I couldn't do anything about it.

"I know I was a child, but I didn't see it like that at the time and I still struggle to see it that way."

Rebekah said she has had lifelong mental health problems, has been diagnosed with personality disorder, and has had substance misuse issues.

She described her childhood as "very conflicted".

"There was moments that were happy," she said.

"There's a lot of fond memories amongst all the bad, but the bad outweighs the good.

"There was a lot of laughs, but more often than not there were a lot of tears and a lot of reasons to feel alone."

By 2013, the two older siblings had been taken in to care, amid child protection concerns.

Police Scotland launched an investigation in 2022 after William made a statement.

The siblings said they decided to speak out in the hope their story may help others.

"I feel like this is the first time we've ever really been given a platform that we can use to make a difference in some way," Meaghann said.

"Even if one person was to take something positive from it, then I've done my bit."

William said he hoped sharing their experiences would help others recognise the signs of abuse.

He concluded: "My mother, grandmother and stepfather are evil, barbaric and cruel.

"But it hasn't changed us. Not in the way they wanted it to anyway."

Solicitor Andrew Ormiston, for Freeman, said she maintained her innocence, and had expressed "confusion" over why the complainers had made the allegations.

John McLeod, for Stephen, said she also continued to maintain her innocence.

Debbie Ginniver, for McColl, said he had admitted the offences, did not seek to justify or excuse his behaviour, and had shown "deep remorse".

Sheriff Findlater told Freeman that "shame has been brought to your name".

He told the three first offenders there were alternative sentences to custody.

Alison McKenzie, procurator fiscal for Grampian, Highlands and Islands, said the trio were adults when they "knowingly and deliberately subjected these children to a horrific catalogue of mistreatment".

She said: "The evidence showed that, rather than providing the care, affection and security every child deserves, they engaged in a sustained pattern of cruelty, degradation and harmful behaviour.

"We hope this prosecution reassures others who have experienced child abuse that they will be listened to, treated with dignity and supported throughout the criminal justice process, regardless of when the offending took place."

Det Insp Kerry McCombie, of Police Scotland, added: "The abuse spanned across the childhood years of the victims and I'd like to pay tribute to them for their bravery to bring this case before the courts."

If you or someone you know have been affected by child abuse, you can find more details of help and support at the BBC Action Line.