Couple jailed after waging savage campaign of child abuse and torture

A violent couple who carried out a “savage” five-year campaign of torture and abuse against two children have been jailed and banned from having any contact with their victims for five years.

- by Alexander Lawrie

Paul Dodds and Amanda Thomson abused one terrified victim by tying them up with a dressing gown cord and gagging them with a piece of clothing with the intention of muffling their screams.

The cruel pair then made the child sit near a hot radiator, deprived them of food and failed to provide medical attention to injuries to their head, neck and hands.

Dodds also battered the child - who was aged between eight and 13 years old during the abuse - by repeatedly striking them on the face and body and smashing their head off a cabinet and a windowsill.

The violent brute pulled the youngster from their bed and dragged them down a flight of stairs, repeatedly threw objects at them and pinned them on the ground before punching them in the face.