'No kid should have a childhood like that': Boy's tells court of life in Northampton household at centre of child cruelty case

A trial has begun over the alleged mistreatment of children at a Northampton household in late 2016.

At Northampton Crown Court yesterday (March 22), the jury heard what life in the house was like, told through a DVD showing what one of the children said to the police after they were taken into social services.

However, the video statement taken by police greatly contrasted with the evidence the same boy gave in court on Wednesday.

The boy told police: "No kid should have a childhood like that.

"We were all beaten... they chose our clothes over how to hide our bruises... none of us could use the toilet or shower or brush our teeth when we wanted... if we were good we could sit on the couch, but that was about once a month..."

The most serious allegations surrounds how one boy was allegedly kept locked and naked in a filthy, dark room with no bed or mattress, where he was forced to go to the toilet on the floor.

The alleged 'different treatment' the couple gave this boy was laid before the jury in the DVD.

The jury heard: "We were all made to hit him... 'Dad' would slap him so hard it left massive red marks where you could see each finger...

"Sometimes, they locked him in the room all day. He just had to go to the toilet in the room... He was made to clean it up with his bare hands with a bucket.

"If he wasn't in the room they made him stand in the hallway until his feet were purple. Or they made him run up and down the stairs until he cried."

The interviewer in the DVD asked the boy: "Do you know why was he treated differently?"

The boy said: "No.

"They made him like a ghost in our house... it was like we didn't have an older brother."

Other alleged mistreatment included giving the boy only a 99p magazine for Christmas and nothing else.

As a 'family treat', the children would be made to sit up until 3am on the floor of the living room watching horror films like A Nightmare on Elm Street.

The boy ended the police interview by saying being taken into care was 'the best thing that ever happened to me'.

At court on Wednesday, the same boy gave evidence in person to say he 'told lies' in his police interview and had a 'loving, strong' relationship with his dad.

"I was lying," he told the jury. "I had people around me mollycoddling me to attention seek [sic.] and tell lies.

"I love my dad.

"None of us were beaten.

"If we were naughty, we would have to sit on the stairs or have no telly or Xbox."

The trial continues.