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.

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.

Warning: This article contains descriptions of child abuse

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.”