Mother, grandmother and stepfather sentenced for 'house of terror' abuse
Shirley Freeman, Julia Stephen and David McColl's victims were beaten, starved and psychologically tormented.
A mother, grandmother and stepfather accused of subjecting three children to years of abuse in a "house of terror" have received sentences but avoided jail time. The victims, William and Meaghan Murphy, aged 25 and 28, detailed the beatings, starvation and psychological torment they endured between 2003 and 2012. Shirley Freeman, 51, and Julia Stephen, 69, were convicted of cruel and unnatural treatment, while David McColl, 50, admitted to the crimes.
At Aberdeen Sheriff Court, Sheriff Craig Findlater stated no sentence could repair the victims' awful childhoods. Freeman received an 18-month probation, 240 hours of unpaid work, and a 12-month restriction of liberty order. Stephen was ordered to perform 150 hours of unpaid work and received an 18-month probation. McColl was given 220 hours of unpaid work, 18 months probation, and an 11-month restriction of liberty order.
The abuse occurred at an address in Balloch, Dunbartonshire, and a flat in Aberdeen's Bedford Avenue. The siblings were taken into care by 2013, following an investigation prompted by William's statement in 2022. Their ordeal has prompted calls for help and support for those affected by child abuse.
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