By Angela Beswick
Victim impact statements by two children subjected to acts of horrific abuse have been read in the Auckland District Court this morning.
Suppression remains in place for the children’s parents, who admitted child abuse charges against their then-nine-year-old daughter and seven-year-old son, including wilful ill-treatment and neglect, as well as assault after their daughter was found hiding in a wardrobe with multiple injuries last year.
The charges relate to abuse between February and November last year.
A 33-year-old man admitted two charges when he appeared in court last month. His sentencing was adjourned until February 7 when he appeared in court today.
The woman originally faced 33 assault and neglect-related charges. She admitted to 25 and is expected to be sentenced this afternoon.
The court heard how the little boy “can’t think of any good things” about his mother and never wants to see her again. He described how he still fears his parents.
“There is nothing nice about my mum. I can’t think of any good things. I can think of lots of bad things. She would tell me that someone was going to take me away.”
He could remember just one thing about his father; that he once let him play his video game.
In his statement the boy described how he and his sister had sat outside at night talking about how they could get hit less by their parents. His sister said it was because they didn’t listen, so they tried to listen more – but they still got hit.
"I don't know why I was hit so much but I think it was because I wasn't good enough."
The boy said because he hurt for a long time, he thinks his parents should go to jail for a long time too.
A victim impact statement by the boy’s sister was also read to the court in which she spoke of how she has nightmares about what had happened.
“In my dreams my mother and father are out of jail and trying to find me to hurt me some more.”
She said normally parents would give their children a chance if they behave badly.
“But they didn’t give me a chance. They didn’t give my brother a chance either.”
The police summary detailed a catalogue of abuse which alleged the mother tortured her daughter with a hammer, smashing her feet with it as well as beating her with her fists and a vacuum cleaner pipe.
When police were called to the house on November 15 last year after reports of a heated argument, they found the girl hiding in the wardrobe, starved and dehydrated.
She had countless bruises, scratches, scabs and abrasions as well as chipped teeth, a fractured toe, a missing toenail, and a scalp laceration.
3 News