HORRIFIC ABUSE BY ANDREW HADWIN AND CHERYL PICKLES IN BOWBURN, COUNTY DURHAM

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Bowburn, County Durham, a couple has been convicted of prolonged and severe child abuse that spanned several years. The offenders, Andrew Hadwin, aged 39, and Cheryl Pickles, aged 35, subjected their young victims to a series of heinous acts, including physical neglect, emotional torment, and cruel physical punishments.

Authorities launched an extensive investigation into the allegations in 2018 after one of the children bravely disclosed the abuse to a trusted adult. Over the course of four years, law enforcement officials gathered evidence and interviewed more than 150 witnesses, uncovering a pattern of systematic cruelty inflicted by the couple. The investigation revealed that the children were often deprived of basic necessities such as food, with the victims frequently forced to scavenge for scraps to survive. On one particularly harrowing occasion, the children were found walking alone at 4 a.m. to a supermarket four miles away, desperately seeking nourishment.

The court heard that the abuse extended beyond neglect. The children endured physical violence, including being locked in cupboards and subjected to boiling hot baths and showers. One of the most shocking details was the incident where a terrified child was dangled over a motorway bridge, a clear indication of the extreme psychological and physical torment inflicted upon them. The couple also ordered takeaways but would make the children watch them eat while they stood in stress positions for extended periods, further demonstrating their cruelty.

Medical experts testified during the trial that the children suffered injuries regularly, with one victim left with injuries that could cause lifelong disabilities. The court was also presented with evidence of the couple’s attempts to manipulate the situation through deception. They wrote fake letters, purportedly from the children, apologizing for lying and making false allegations of sexual assault against professionals working to support the victims. These letters were discovered in a notebook found at the couple’s home, revealing their attempts to cover up the abuse.

In January 2023, the couple was formally convicted of multiple charges, including child cruelty, neglect, and perverting the course of justice. The trial, held at Teesside Crown Court, lasted seven weeks and involved detailed testimonies from medical experts and witnesses. The jury found Hadwin guilty of three counts of rape, seven counts of neglect, and one count of perverting the course of justice. He was acquitted of sexual activity with a child. Pickles was convicted of five counts of child cruelty and one count of perverting the course of justice, but was found not guilty of sexual activity with a child.

Both offenders denied all charges throughout the trial. The court heard that Hadwin was also charged with three counts of rape related to non-recent abuse of a girl when she was a child. The sentencing is scheduled for Friday, 28 April, at Teesside Crown Court, where both will be remanded in custody until then. The community awaits justice for the victims of this appalling case, which has brought to light the depths of cruelty inflicted by the couple from Bowburn, County Durham.