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| Ariel Castro 'hell house' demolished in Cleveland | Ariel Castro 'hell house' demolished in Cleveland |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The house in Cleveland, Ohio, where Ariel Castro held three women in brutal captivity for years has been torn down. | The house in Cleveland, Ohio, where Ariel Castro held three women in brutal captivity for years has been torn down. |
| At about 07:30 local time (11:30 GMT), a wrecking machine smashed through the house to begin the demolition. | At about 07:30 local time (11:30 GMT), a wrecking machine smashed through the house to begin the demolition. |
| Castro, 53, a former school bus driver, was sentenced to life in prison last week after pleading guilty to dozens of rape, kidnapping and other charges. | Castro, 53, a former school bus driver, was sentenced to life in prison last week after pleading guilty to dozens of rape, kidnapping and other charges. |
| He abducted Michelle Knight, 32, Amanda Berry, 27, and Gina DeJesus, 23, from Cleveland streets between 2002-04. | He abducted Michelle Knight, 32, Amanda Berry, 27, and Gina DeJesus, 23, from Cleveland streets between 2002-04. |
| Authorities say he kept the women chained for long periods in the house, beating and starving them and forcing one of them to miscarry several pregnancies. | Authorities say he kept the women chained for long periods in the house, beating and starving them and forcing one of them to miscarry several pregnancies. |
| Cheering onlookers | |
| The women were freed in May after one of them escaped while Castro was out of the house and summoned help. | The women were freed in May after one of them escaped while Castro was out of the house and summoned help. |
| He was sentenced to life in prison plus 1,000 years on 1 August. | He was sentenced to life in prison plus 1,000 years on 1 August. |
| On Wednesday morning, Ms Knight spent several minutes in front of the house where she was held for 11 years as Castro's captive, a period she had described at his sentencing as "hell". | On Wednesday morning, Ms Knight spent several minutes in front of the house where she was held for 11 years as Castro's captive, a period she had described at his sentencing as "hell". |
| Then a crew of workers wearing high-visibility jackets tore the house down using heavy demolition kit, as neighbours and television crews looked on. Onlookers cheered. | Then a crew of workers wearing high-visibility jackets tore the house down using heavy demolition kit, as neighbours and television crews looked on. Onlookers cheered. |
| Within minutes, the house was reduced to a pile of rubble. | Within minutes, the house was reduced to a pile of rubble. |
| Castro's neighbours in the working-class district of Cleveland had vowed to see the house demolished at the conclusion of the trial. | Castro's neighbours in the working-class district of Cleveland had vowed to see the house demolished at the conclusion of the trial. |