Shirley Freeman, aged 51, of Cullen, Moray, Julia Stephen, aged 69, and David McColl, aged 50, have been sentenced at Aberdeen Sheriff Court after being convicted of cruel and unnatural treatment against three children.
The court heard that the trio subjected three young siblings to a sustained campaign of physical beatings, starvation, and psychological torment between 2003 and 2012.
The offences occurred across domestic residences in Balloch, West Dunbartonshire, and Aberdeen before the children were ultimately removed into protective care in 2013.
During the nine-year period of abuse, the children were systematically starved for days at a time, with padlocks placed on kitchen cupboards to prevent them from accessing food.
The victims were repeatedly beaten with leather belts and metal-studded buckles, pinned by the throat, and forced to stand outside undressed on freezing verandas as punishment.
The court heard harrowing evidence that the adults left blades under the children’s pillows, with one victim waking up to discover a meat cleaver placed inside her bedding.
The siblings were also forced into prolonged sleep deprivation where they were made to stand in lines for hours, having objects thrown at them if they showed signs of dozing off.
Police Scotland initiated a formal criminal investigation in 2022 after one of the adult survivors provided a detailed statement to detectives.
Freeman and Stephen entered not guilty pleas to the indictment, forcing the adult survivors to give evidence during a trial at Aberdeen Sheriff Court.
Following deliberations, Freeman and Stephen were convicted of multiple charges of cruel and unnatural treatment, while McColl admitted his role in the offences.
The presiding sheriff handed the trio community-based sentences:
- Shirley Freeman was sentenced to 18 months’ probation, 240 hours of unpaid work, and a 12-month restriction of liberty order
- Julia Stephen was sentenced to 18 months’ probation and 150 hours of unpaid work
- David McColl was sentenced to 18 months’ probation, 220 hours of unpaid work, and an 11-month restriction of liberty order
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