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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| 'Sadistic' carer's sentence cut | 'Sadistic' carer's sentence cut |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A foster mother who abused three children in her care has had her 14-year jail sentence cut by two years. | A foster mother who abused three children in her care has had her 14-year jail sentence cut by two years. |
| Eunice Spry, from Tewkesbury, was last year found guilty of 26 accounts of physical and mental abuse as well as perverting the course of justice. | Eunice Spry, from Tewkesbury, was last year found guilty of 26 accounts of physical and mental abuse as well as perverting the course of justice. |
| The abuse, which was described in her trial as "sadistic", included forcing sticks down the children's throats. | The abuse, which was described in her trial as "sadistic", included forcing sticks down the children's throats. |
| The High Court in London reviewed the sentence and she will now serve a total of 12 years. | The High Court in London reviewed the sentence and she will now serve a total of 12 years. |
| Spry was found guilty of a range of charges from unlawful wounding, cruelty to a person under 16, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, perverting the course of justice and witness intimidation. | Spry was found guilty of a range of charges from unlawful wounding, cruelty to a person under 16, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, perverting the course of justice and witness intimidation. |
| Care system | Care system |
| At her trial Judge Simon Darwall-Smith told Spry it was the worst case he had come across in 40 years. | At her trial Judge Simon Darwall-Smith told Spry it was the worst case he had come across in 40 years. |
| He told her: "Frankly, it's difficult for anyone to understand how any human being could have even contemplated what you did, let alone with the regularity and premeditation you employed." | He told her: "Frankly, it's difficult for anyone to understand how any human being could have even contemplated what you did, let alone with the regularity and premeditation you employed." |
| Following Spry's conviction, Gloucestershire County Council apologised for the "shortcomings" in its care system. | Following Spry's conviction, Gloucestershire County Council apologised for the "shortcomings" in its care system. |
| Despite arousing suspicions and causing concern, she persistently kept one step ahead of the agencies who were supposed to be safeguarding the youngsters concerned. | Despite arousing suspicions and causing concern, she persistently kept one step ahead of the agencies who were supposed to be safeguarding the youngsters concerned. |
| Vital information which could have alerted social workers to the abuse was not shared by the various bodies involved. | Vital information which could have alerted social workers to the abuse was not shared by the various bodies involved. |