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Marie Black gets life term for child abuse | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A woman at the centre of a "gruesome" child abuse ring which passed children round "like toys" has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 24 years. | |
Marie Black, 34, of Norwich, was convicted at Norwich Crown Court of 23 charges, including rape and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. | Marie Black, 34, of Norwich, was convicted at Norwich Crown Court of 23 charges, including rape and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. |
Victims were abused at parties and may have been offered in raffles. | |
"The case is the most harrowing it has been my misfortune to try," said Judge Nicholas Coleman. | |
"I and the jurors had to listen to the truly gruesome detail of what took place. | |
"Your conduct towards these children can only be described as utterly depraved - the children were subjected to sexual abuse of the worst kind. | "Your conduct towards these children can only be described as utterly depraved - the children were subjected to sexual abuse of the worst kind. |
"They were simply passed around like toys," he said. | |
Conspiring to rape | |
The charges related to five young children - two boys and three girls - over a 10-year period. | The charges related to five young children - two boys and three girls - over a 10-year period. |
Michael Rogers, 46, from Romford, Essex, was found guilty of 14 counts, including cruelty, rape and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. | Michael Rogers, 46, from Romford, Essex, was found guilty of 14 counts, including cruelty, rape and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. |
Jason Adams, 44, from Norwich, was convicted of 13 similar counts. | Jason Adams, 44, from Norwich, was convicted of 13 similar counts. |
Both were sentenced to 24 years. | Both were sentenced to 24 years. |
The men were also made subject to sexual harm prevention orders, which allows the court to impose restrictions deemed necessary to protect the public. | |
All three had denied the charges against them, with Black accused of 26 counts and found guilty of 23. | |
Seven others stood trial, six of whom were cleared of all charges. | |
Judge Coleman said: "You, Marie Black, were the constant factor in all of these crimes. | Judge Coleman said: "You, Marie Black, were the constant factor in all of these crimes. |
"The offences included adults conspiring to rape children at so-called sex parties. | "The offences included adults conspiring to rape children at so-called sex parties. |
"You used them for your own, and for others', sexual gratification." | |
He said there was evidence the children were taken to other parts of the country where they were raffled for abuse by others. | |
Black did not give evidence and was described by her barrister Sarah Elliott QC as "clearly a vulnerable, corrupted woman". | |
"The impetus for abusing the children comes from Adams and Rogers," she said. | |
"She was vilified throughout the trial and was blamed by everybody to exculpate themselves." | |
However, barristers representing Adams and Rogers rejected the notion that they had manipulated her. | |
Isabella Forshall QC, for Adams, said he had no previous convictions for sexual offences and Black was "the common denominator between all the offences." | |
Ann Cotcher QC said Rogers was a "naive" man who had sought to help Black and was not the instigator of sexual and physical abuse. | |
Co-defendant Carol Stadler, 59, from Norwich, was found guilty of assault causing actual bodily harm, but cleared of nine other charges including serious sexual assaults. | |
She is due to be sentenced. | |
Six others - Anthony Stadler, 63, Nicola Collins, 36, Andrew Collins, 52, Judith Fuller, 31, Denise Barnes, 43, and Kathleen Adams, 85, all from Norwich - stood trial but were cleared of all counts. |