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| Woman guilty over 'naked slave' | Woman guilty over 'naked slave' |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| A mother-of-six from York has been found guilty of beating her former sister-in-law and keeping her as a domestic slave. | 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. |
| During a two-year period she beat Veronica Sandeman, 26, and forced her to work naked, 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. |
| 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, 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. | The jury heard Pearson-Gaballonie had been previously married to Miss Sandeman's brother. |
| She forced her to clean the house naked, made her beg for food and stopped her from contacting her parents. | |
| She had deliberately taken an overdose in order to avoid this trial Recorder of York, Paul Hoffman | She had deliberately taken an overdose in order to avoid this trial Recorder of York, Paul Hoffman |
| She also claimed £10,000 of disability benefits on behalf of her victim | She also claimed £10,000 of disability benefits on behalf of her victim |
| The court heard 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 court heard 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. |
| 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. | 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." | 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. | 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 | Scissor attack |
| The judge refused her bail and told her she inevitably faced "a lengthy custodial sentence". Pearson was granted bail until November. | |
| Earlier during the trial, Miss Sandeman told the court Pearson helped his wife to savagely beat her at 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. | 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 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. | 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. | |
| 'Emotional wreck' | |
| 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. | He said Miss Sandeman was not expected to do more than her fair share of housework and was never starved of food. |
| After the hearing Det Insp Mick Moore, of North Yorkshire Police, said he would not have expected to hear about a case such as this in this country "in this day and age". | |
| He said Miss Sandeman was "an emotional and physical wreck" when she was first seen by officers, curled up in the foetal position wearing men's clothes she had found in a garage. | |
| "It was just an awful time going over a long period of time," he said. |