HULL HEROIN ADDICT MATTHEW AVENELL SENTENCED FOR HORRIFIC CHILD NEGLECT IN PIGSTY HOUSE
In July 2019, a disturbing case of child neglect came to light involving Matthew Avenell, a known heroin addict from Hull, who subjected two young boys to unimaginable conditions of abuse and deprivation.The court heard that Avenell, instead of caring for the boys, kept them confined in a house that resembled a pigsty, filled with bottles of urine and drug paraphernalia, and left them to suffer from hunger, poor hygiene, and neglect.
According to court reports, Avenell was supposed to be responsible for the welfare of the children.
However, he failed in this duty, allowing them to go days without proper meals, and neglecting their basic hygiene needs.
One of the boys recounted to police that he would often only eat during school hours, and that there was no water available at home for bathing, leading to long periods without washing.
The house was described as being kept at a constant warmth despite the warm weather outside, with curtains drawn and a general atmosphere of neglect.
When police officers entered the property last year, they were given a key by an associate of Avenell.
Upon entry, the two boys appeared and told officers they had been playing on a computer.
The scene inside was grim: bottles of urine were found, indicating that the water supply to flush toilets was not functioning properly.
The house was cluttered and dirty, with evidence of drug use visible in the form of black and brown substances stored in a bag, which Avenell admitted to taking in front of the children.
The drugs had a sedative effect on Avenell, making him 'dozy' and unfit to care for the boys.
One of the boys described being regularly locked in the house without a key or a phone to contact Avenell.
He also revealed that there was no food in the house, and they often went to bed hungry, sometimes only eating at school.
The boy further explained that he did not have clean clothes, lacked basic toiletries such as toothpaste, and was not registered with a dentist.
He recounted an incident where he was left with bruises on his arms and legs, which he attributed to Avenell hitting him with a shoe after he expressed a desire to leave the house.
Additional witnesses, including a woman who had seen the boys during the period of neglect, reported that the children frequently asked for food.
She observed bruises on one of the boys and noted that they had head lice.
She also took photographs of the property, revealing an empty fridge and freezer, along with drug paraphernalia scattered around.
The woman confirmed that the boys appeared malnourished and unkempt, and that they had asked for food on multiple occasions.
During police interviews, Avenell admitted to neglecting the children, acknowledging that he had not been feeding them properly or caring for their hygiene.
He explained that his life was dominated by heroin addiction and expressed shame over his actions.
At the time of the neglect, Avenell was serving a 27-month sentence for attempted robbery.
He appeared in court after pleading guilty to five counts of child neglect, which included failing to provide adequate food, clothing, hygiene, and the assault on the older boy.
The court heard that Avenell had also sold a PlayStation belonging to one of the boys to fund his drug habit.
The judge sentenced him to two years in prison, condemning his self-centeredness and the profound impact of his neglect on the children’s mental and physical well-being.
The judge emphasized that the repeated and prolonged nature of the neglect was a serious breach of duty, and warned that the children could have suffered fatal consequences from the drugs left around the house.
The court highlighted that Avenell’s failure to protect and care for the boys was a grave failure, and he was urged to reflect on the shame of his actions.
