‘Springs Monster’ gets 35 years
The man dubbed the “Springs Monster”‚ who abused and terrorised his five children over a decade‚ has been sentenced to an effective 35 years in jail by the North Gauteng High Court.
“No child asks to be born and it is the duty of the parent to look after his or her child‚” judge Eben Jordaan said.
“None of the five children were cared for.”
He said the man had denied pepper-spraying his son‚ but the evidence revealed that he had, as well as the other abuse the children had suffered at his hands.
The judge agreed with a psychologist who had testified that the father was a sadist and psychopath.
In August this year‚ the man was found guilty of raping his eldest daughter, who was 16 at the time.
He was also found guilty of the attempted murder of his then 11-year-old son‚ defeating the ends of justice‚ obstruction of justice‚ five counts of child abuse and five counts of child neglect.
Jordaan also found him guilty of dealing in drugs and possessing drugs.
However‚ he was found not guilty of the possession and manufacture of explosives.
The man’s ex-wife was previously found guilty of defeating the ends of justice‚ obstruction of justice‚ five counts of child neglect‚ and being in possession of drugs.
She was found not guilty of the attempted murder of the son‚ the possession and manufacture of explosives‚ five counts of child abuse‚ and dealing in drugs.
Jordaan said she was not a suitable candidate for imprisonment and gave her a fiveyear suspended sentence.
In an affidavit dated September 26‚ the boy – who is now 15 – described in detail his hatred for his father.
“If I could have‚ I would have killed him myself.
“When I think about him‚ I hate everything about him. “He never loved me.
“I wish I could get another surname. I do not want to be anything of his any more.
“I do not want to be his son. “Someone once told me I look like him. I became very angry‚” the teenager said.
The parents kept their children locked up in their house in Springs‚ Gauteng.
In 2014, the boy escaped and ran to a neighbour for help.
At a previous sitting‚ the court heard how the children were blow-torched‚ tied up in a closet and kept handcuffed.
Details also emerged of how the father molested his daughter sexually.
The children had no friends‚ did not attend school‚ slept on dirty mattresses‚ and ate noodles‚ bread and hot chips.
Before the father walked down the stairs back to the cells, he said: “I will definitely appeal [against] my sentence.
“I want to see my kids again. They are my whole life.” –