County Durham woman sentenced for child cruelty charges
Cheryl Pickles, 35, has been jailed for 15 years for several charges
Last updated 28th Apr 2023
A County Durham woman, who abused children for several years, has been jailed for 15 years.
Cheryl Pickles subjected the children to prolonged physical and emotional abuse over the course of several years, together with her partner, Andrew Hadwin.
The pair were convicted of several counts of child neglect and perverting the course of justice following a seven-week trial which ended in January this year.
Hadwin was also charged with three counts of rape in relation to non-recent abuse of another child which happened when she was a little girl.
The 39-year-old died in prison on February 2 this year, where he had been remanded ahead of sentencing following his conviction. Enquiries are currently being carried out to establish the circumstances of his death and a file will be prepared for the Coroner in due course.
The couple’s offending came to light when one of the children bravely disclosed what had happened to her to a trusted adult, and an investigation by Durham Constabulary was launched.
After three days of deliberations, the jury, sitting at Teesside Crown Court, found Hadwin guilty of three counts of rape, seven counts of neglect, and one count of perverting the course of justice.
Pickles was found guilty of five counts of child cruelty and one of perverting the course of justice. She was found not guilty of sexual activity with a child.
Today the 35-year-old, formerly of Bowburn, in County Durham, returned to court where she was sentenced to 12 years for cruelty and three years for perverting the course of justice, to be served consecutively.
Investigative Officer, Detective Constable Kat Pudney, from Durham Constabulary, said: “The children involved in this case have been subjected to unimaginable levels of cruelty and abuse.
“Despite their experiences in their early lives, they have shown bravery and tenacity beyond their years, standing up to their abusers through the judicial process and allowing a jury to see exactly what the couple had done to them.
“One of Hadwin’s victims, who is now an adult, showed him that what he did to her, although having a profound effect on her, was not going to rule her life.
“Pickles will now serve a significant sentence for this abuse.”
She added: “The safeguarding and wellbeing of children is everyone’s business. If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected, please speak out – your actions could save a life.
“You can report suspected abuse or concerns to Durham Constabulary by calling 101, or 999 if life is in immediate danger. Alternatively, reports can be made completely anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
An NSPCC spokesperson said: “This is a deeply disturbing case involving the neglect and abuse of a number of children by Hadwin and Pickles who intentionally misled police and other professionals while causing unimaginable suffering to the young people in their care.
“We praise the exceptional bravery of one of their victims in speaking out and now hope that everyone involved in this terrible case is receiving the support they need to move forwards with their lives.
“It’s also crucial that everyone does all they can to prevent child abuse and cruelty. Anyone who has concerns for a child’s safety should contact the local authorities, the police or the NSPCC Helpline by emailing help@nspcc.org.uk or on 0808 8005000. Children can contact our Childline counsellors on 0800 1111 or through the Childline website.”