Man and woman jailed for 14 years total for 'perverse' neglect of two children

Darren Paisley, 39, and Serena Sibson-Bartram, 35, were jailed at Shrewsbury Crown Court for seven and a half years and six and a half years respectively.

Paisley and Sibson-Bartram, of Telford, had each been convicted of child neglect.

Both were found guilty at a trial earlier this year after denying the offences.

Sentencing, Judge Anthony Lowe, described the actions of both Sibson-Bartram and Paisley as "perverse".

He said that it was not a case where either of the defendants could claim their actions were the result of being "significantly disadvantaged or inadequate", adding: "Both of you are plainly intelligent adults."

Sentencing the defendants, Judge Lowe said the crimes would have a lifelong impact on both victims.

He told the defendants their victims would have "no opportunity of making sense of why they were subjected to such perverse form of abuse."

He added: "I hope they come to terms that none of this is their fault in any sense whatsoever. They are entirely blameless."

Judge Lowe was told both defendants expressed remorse over their actions and that Sibson-Bartram was "petrified of the reality of what will happen".

Another woman, Samantha Paisley, 35, also of Telford, had previously pleaded guilty to child neglect and will be sentenced at a later date.