Eunice Spry, born on April 28, 1944, is a British woman from Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire, whose name became synonymous with extreme child abuse. A Jehovah’s Witness, Spry was convicted in April 2007 on 26 charges of child abuse against children in her foster care. The judge who sentenced her to 14 years’ imprisonment and ordered her to pay £80,000 in costs described the case as the “worst” he had encountered in his 40 years of practicing law.
The Heinous Crimes
Spry’s cruelty towards the children in her care defies comprehension. She forced three children—two foster children and one adopted daughter—to endure unimaginable torture. They were made to eat their own excrement and vomit, had sticks rammed down their throats, their faces rubbed with sandpaper, and were locked naked in a room for a month. The gruesome details of their daily torment are documented in books written by the survivors: Christopher Spry, the oldest foster son, in “Child C”; Alloma Gilbert in “Deliver Me from Evil”; and Victoria Spry in “Tortured.”
Detailed Accounts of Abuse
Victim A
Victim A, who was involved in a car accident, was confined to a wheelchair, and Spry hindered her recovery to maximise compensation. The victim was forced to drink washing-up liquid and eat lard, physically beaten, and publicly humiliated with signs labeling her as evil.
Victim B
Victim B endured physical and psychological abuse, including having her hair pulled and her face shoved into her pet dog’s feces. She was subjected to similar force-feeding punishments and routine beatings.
Victim C
Christopher Spry, known as Victim C, faced severe physical abuse, including having his hand held on a hot electric hob, leaving it a “gooey mess.” He was also forced to drink washing-up liquid until he could distinguish brands by taste. Christopher’s younger brother, who was also under Spry’s care, was not subjected to the same level of abuse but was kept in a state of extreme dependence and unable to perform basic self-care tasks even as a teenager.
Legal Proceedings and Sentencing
The trial at Bristol Crown Court lasted four weeks, during which the jury heard extensive and harrowing evidence of Spry’s sadistic treatment of the children. Prosecutor Kerry Barker emphasized the sustained and bizarre violence inflicted upon the victims. Despite Spry’s attempts to portray herself as a loving and devout mother, the overwhelming evidence led to her conviction.
In September 2008, Spry’s sentence was reduced by the High Court to 12 years. Reports indicated she would be released in June 2014, a prospect that brought fear and outrage to her victims and the public alike.
The Tragic Death of Victoria Spry
One of the most heart-wrenching outcomes of this case was the suicide of Victoria Spry in September 2020. Victoria, one of Spry’s primary victims and the author of “Tortured,” struggled with the deep psychological scars left by her abusive upbringing. Her siblings have publicly attributed her suicide to the profound and lasting trauma inflicted by Eunice Spry. Victoria’s death highlighted the enduring impact of childhood abuse, serving as a grim reminder that the effects of such cruelty can last a lifetime.
Details from the Trial
During the trial, the jury was presented with a disturbing portrait of Spry’s household. The victims, known as Victim A, B, and C, described daily routines punctuated by random acts of bizarre and sadistic violence. Kerry Barker, the prosecuting attorney, detailed how Spry imprisoned Victim A in a wheelchair, forced Victim B to eat pet feces, and burned Victim C’s hand on an electric hob.
The abuse occurred in Spry’s two homes in Gloucestershire between 1986 and 2005.
A fellow Jehovah’s Witness secretly confronted Victim A about marks on her head, leading to the eventual police investigation. The interviews revealed a horrifying catalog of cruel and sadistic treatment, with Spry’s punishments often inexplicable in their cruelty.
Spry ensured the children were isolated from outside help by homeschooling them and forbidding private medical examinations. Despite her denials and portrayal as a loving mother, the evidence presented was overwhelming. Forensic evidence played a crucial role in supporting the victims’ allegations, highlighting the commitment of the Crown Prosecution Service to bring Spry to justice.
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