SANDRA JONES AND MICHAEL MISZCZAK FROM NEWTON-LE-WILLOWS CONVICTED OF HORRIFIC CHILD ABUSE

In a harrowing case that has shocked the community of Newton-le-Willows, a married couple, Sandra Jones, aged 52, and Michael Miszczak, aged 54, have been found guilty of subjecting two young girls to years of unimaginable abuse, including severe physical, sexual, and psychological torment. The victims, who were under the care and influence of the couple from a very young age, endured a series of brutal acts that left lasting scars.

According to the evidence presented at Liverpool Crown Court, the abuse began before the victims reached the age of eight. The court heard that the girls were systematically brainwashed, raped, and beaten by the pair in their home in Newton-le-Willows. The severity of the abuse was such that one of the victims was punched by Sandra Jones, who also brutally raped one of the girls during the same incident. The court was told that on one occasion, Jones struck one of the victims with a metal pole, leaving her with a black eye and a split head. The physical assaults were frequent, with both defendants resorting to slippers and belts to inflict pain.

Prosecutor Michael Scholes detailed the disturbing nature of the abuse, revealing that the victims were forced to eat their own vomit and that of each other, a tactic used to manipulate and dehumanize them. The court heard that the victims were subjected to violent beatings, including an incident where one girl was pushed over, and another where Jones slapped her across the face after she accidentally damaged a microwave oven. In a particularly chilling account, Jones held a knife to one of the girls' throats and rubbed her face in her own urine after she wet herself.

Further evidence revealed that Michael Miszczak would force the girls to engage in 'toy fights,' which served as a pretext for sexual assaults. During these episodes, Miszczak would touch the girls inappropriately, sometimes after plying them with alcohol. Over several years, he repeatedly raped one of the victims, with one witness recounting how he mocked her after she attempted to hang herself. The court also heard that Miszczak would make the girls strip to the waist during these 'toy fights,' blurring the lines between physical play and sexual abuse.

The victims, who later came forward separately to police, described the profound trauma they endured. Despite attempts by the defendants' legal teams to dismiss the allegations as fabrications—one claiming that the victims had taken inspiration from the book 'A Child Called It'—the jury found their testimonies credible and compelling. The victims' accounts detailed years of suffering, including being beaten, sexually assaulted, and emotionally manipulated in their own home.

Judge Dennis Watson, QC, addressed the defendants directly during the sentencing hearing, emphasizing the gravity of their crimes. He stated, “The charges in the case are extremely serious and there is only one eventuality, immediate custody will follow.” Both Sandra Jones and Michael Miszczak were remanded in custody and are scheduled to be sentenced after February 17, with the date to be set by the court. The community of Newton-le-Willows awaits the outcome, hoping for justice for the victims of this heinous abuse.