Seven members of a feared pedophile have been convicted of sexual abuse and rape. The victims are three children of primary school age.
The trial lasted over two months. There, the children have testified, among other things, about how they were forced into cocaine and alcohol – before several of the members raped and molested them.
Arranged meetings in drug dens
The league organized regular gatherings between 2012 and 2020 where they carried out these crimes in drug dens around Glasgow. Defense attorneys argued there was a possibility the children were lying. But according to the prosecutor, it is beyond reasonable doubt that they would invent such crimes “of the most monstrous kind”.
– It is not even possible to imagine the terror these children were exposed to and what a miserable existence they had, says Matt Forde, head of development at the NSPCC, who works with rehabilitation for vulnerable children, to Sky News.
Pushed children into the microwave
The trial revealed how the children were tricked into believing that the members, who posed as witches and wizards, could turn them into dogs and cats – and how older children were forced to abuse a younger child for a long time. At the same time, the others watched and laughed.
The court called the incident “nights of child rape”.
– This is really shocking and the public will find it hard to believe that children can be subjected to such deliberate and horrible acts, such terrible abuse, says Matt Forde.
The victims also told police interviews how one of the children was pushed into a microwave, an oven, a refrigerator and a freezer. Four members are therefore also convicted of attempted murder.