Both Pickles and Hadwin were found guilty of committing prolonged and serious acts of neglect that showed a complete disregard for the welfare of their victims.

They regularly hit the children with belts, forced soap and shampoo into their mouths, pushed them into boiling hot showers, deprived them of food, and made them stay in stressful positions for hours on end. The children were also locked in a hot and dark cupboard that was infested with spiders, which was undoubtedly terrifying for them.

Rapist Hadwin died while awaiting sentencing for his crimes, leaving Pickles to face the full force of the law alone. She was found guilty of child cruelty and subsequently jailed for 15 years.

During the trial, prosecutors revealed that both Pickles and Hadwin were sadistic and would spend a huge sum of money on takeaways, deliberately eating them in front of the starving victims. The children were so desperate for food that they had to go scavenging, and making them watch the adults eat their meals was nothing but sadistic.

The evidence showed that while Hadwin was wicked and cruel, Pickles joined in readily and played a full and active part in the cruelty inflicted upon the children.

Her behaviour was affected largely by Hadwin, who was a manipulative and controlling individual who targeted Pickles. Despite this, the court found that Pickles showed no victim empathy or remorse, making her culpable for her actions.

The victims, in this case, showed bravery and tenacity beyond their years in standing up to their abusers in court. However, they have been subjected to unimaginable levels of cruelty and abuse, leaving them with lifelong trauma and mental health challenges. While Pickles was found to be a willing participant in the abuse,