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Woman guilty over 'naked slave' Woman guilty over 'naked slave'
(about 1 hour later)
A mother-of-six from York who was accused of beating her sister-in-law and keeping her as a domestic slave has been found guilty by a jury. A mother-of-six from York has been found guilty of beating her former sister-in-law and keeping her as a domestic slave.
Antonia Pearson-Gaballonie, 36, of New Lane, Acomb, denied false imprisonment, making threats to kill and assault.Antonia Pearson-Gaballonie, 36, of New Lane, Acomb, denied false imprisonment, making threats to kill and assault.
She beat Veronica Sandeman, 26, and forced her to work naked over several years, York Crown Court heard. During a two-year period she beat Veronica Sandeman, 26, and forced her to work naked, York Crown Court heard.
Her husband Neil Pearson, 35, of the same address, was convicted of aiding and abetting her to commit an assault.Her husband Neil Pearson, 35, of the same address, was convicted of aiding and abetting her to commit an assault.
'Expect jail' The Recorder of York, Paul Hoffman, told both defendants they would be going to prison when they were sentenced in November.
The Recorder of York, Judge Paul Hoffman, told both defendants they would be going to prison when they were sentenced in November. The jury heard Pearson-Gaballonie had been previously married to Miss Sandeman's brother, forced her to clean the house naked, made her beg for food and forbid her from contacting her parents.
He told Pearson-Gaballonie she faced a long custodial sentence. She had deliberately taken an overdose in order to avoid this trial Recorder of York, Paul Hoffman
Police were alerted in December 2004 after Miss Sandeman appeared at her friend Amanda Palmer's house one night and claimed she had been beaten with a rolling pin and belt by Pearson-Gaballonie. She also claimed £10,000 of disability benefits on behalf of her victim
A policeman who was called to the house told the jury Miss Sandeman looked "very emaciated" and was cowering in the corner in the foetal position. She claimed £31 each week on her behalf between 1997 and 2005 but insisted the money would have been readily available if Miss Sandeman had asked for it.
The jury heard Pearson-Gaballonie forced Miss Sandeman to clean the house naked, made her beg for food and forbid her from contacting her parents. Pearson-Gaballonie did not appear in the dock during the trial as she took an overdose of drugs before it began on Monday and needed hospital treatment.
Explaining her absence to the jury after it returned unanimous guilty verdicts, the judge said: "She had deliberately taken an overdose in order to avoid this trial."
Pearson-Gaballonie, who was arrested on warrant on Friday morning at Bootham Hospital, was then brought into court and stood in the dock with five guards.
Scissor attack
The judge refused her bail and told her she inevitably faced "a lengthy custodial sentence". Neil Pearson was granted bail until November.
Earlier during the trial, Miss Sandeman told the court Pearson helped his wife to savagely beat her on Christmas 2004.
She said he gave his wife a belt to beat her with and held her arms while his wife hacked her hair off and jabbed at her face with scissors.
The jury heard Pearson watched his wife beat Miss Sandeman with a belt on Christmas Eve, stab her with scissors, assault her with a rolling pin, and hold a knife to her throat on Christmas Day 2004.
The assaults dated from New Year's Eve 2002 until Christmas Day 2004.
Police were alerted in December 2004 after Miss Sandeman appeared at her friend Amanda Palmer's house one night and told her about the beating..
Neil Pearson, a garage manager and nightclub bouncer, married Pearson-Gaballonie in June 2004 but said he never saw any evidence of abuse.
He said Miss Sandeman was not expected to do more than her fair share of housework and was never starved of food.