Man guilty of prolonged abuse against children

A man has been convicted of subjecting two children to prolonged abuse and neglect.

Garth Gatland, 39, of Austin Drive, Cambridge was found guilty of two counts of child cruelty at Cambridge Crown Court,

The court heard how Gatland abused a girl aged six and a boy aged 15 over a period of two years.

The abuse of the girl included hitting her repeatedly with implements including a wooden spoon, making her stand naked in the window and making her run for up to four-and-a-half hours barefoot on a treadmill so she would sleep at bed time.

The girl was also subjected to “water boarding”, made to stand in stress positions and tipped out of her bed while she was sleeping on regular occasions.

The boy was the victim of regular assaults and made to dispose of and hide drugs for Gatland.