Prison sentences handed down for sexually abusive London, Ont. parents

Couple sentenced in child abuse trial A couple convicted of abusing their children for years were sentenced in court today. CTV London’s Nick Paparella reports.

In handing down the sentences for two London parents, Justice Thomas Heeney told the court, "The facts of this case were the most egregious that I have encountered during my 26 years on the bench."

This after a mother and father both in their 50s, who cannot be identified, were found guilty on a total of 33 criminal charges, including incest, sexual assault, unlawful confinement, and invitation to sexual touching.

The victims were four of their own children and the abuse started as early as 2002 when some of them were just toddlers and ended in 2020 when they were teenagers.

During the lengthy trial last spring, the court heard horrific details of how the children were forced into performing sexual acts, beaten, tied up, confined, and punished with hot sauce.

Justice Heeney said, "If they threw up after swallowing the tabasco sauce and soap, they were forced to eat their own vomit."

He continued that for years, "To the outside world, this family appeared to be a happy household, but behind closed doors, it was a different story."

He added, "It was for these four victims a house of horrors, they were subjected to years of ongoing sexual and psychological abuse at the hands of their parents."

Of the children, Justice Heeney said, "They suffered pain, domination, and humiliation, the treatment bordered on the sadistic."

He said both parents were equally responsible, she being convicted of 18 counts and the father convicted of 15. In the end, the judge sentenced her to a total of 17 years and five months in prison and him to 16 years and 241 days behind bars.

He received enhanced credit for time he has already served at the Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre. The court was told that he has suffered while going through the judicial process with Justice Heeney saying, “He has been severely assaulted by other inmates four times.”

As the sentences were handed down, the mother started sobbing in the courtroom and hugged her lawyer while the father showed little or no emotion.

After being led away, there was word that the mother is applying for bail pending an appeal of her conviction.