Charges dropped in case of ‘caged children’

PROSECUTORS have dropped the charges against an extended family who were accused of keeping children locked up in cages.

Four women and one man were alleged to have kept the two young siblings – a nine-year-old girl and an eight-year-old boy – locked away in a darkened room at their home in Cardonald, Glasgow.

The former accused, the children’s 53-year-old grandfather, grandmother, 52, and three aunts, two aged 32 and one aged 18, appeared on petition at Glasgow Sheriff Court in September last year.

They were charged with carrying out “cruel and unnatural treatment” against the youngsters but the Crown Office yesterday said there was “in-sufficient evidence” to proceed with the case.

A Crown Office spokesperson said: “The procurator-fiscal at Glasgow received a report concerning a man and four women in relation to alleged offences occurring on September 13, 2010.

“As a result, proceedings were raised at Glasgow Sheriff Court and they appeared on petition charged with cruel and unnatural treatment on September 20, 2010. The matter was referred to Crown Counsel.

“Following full and careful consideration of all the facts and circumstances, including the available evidence and the law, Crown Counsel decided that due to insufficient evidence there should be no further proceedings.The case is now closed.”

A female family member was at home yesterday but refused to comment on the case after consulting with her lawyer.

One legal source close to the proceedings said he was “extremely surprised” the charges had been dropped.

The source said: “I think the difficulty with a case like this is they would have to have led evidence from children and the children involved.

“They probably wouldn’t have been able to cope with it, it’s very difficult for most people to give evidence, so it would have been extremely difficult for these children.”

The family members were arrested after the girl was reported missing when she failed to return home from school.

The primary school pupil was found safe and well but when police decided to search the family home, a red-brick semi-detached house, officers found what one source described as “highly unusual sleeping arrangements”.

It was believed at the time the alleged cages were converted babies’ cots, altered to hold older children.

The former accused were alleged to have put the children in the make-shift cages as soon as they returned home from school until they were sent to school the following morning.

A neighbour said: “It was noted by most of those living in the area the only time we ever saw the kids was when they were going to or coming from school.

“None of the other children seemed to have anything to do with them and they were never seen out in the streets.”

Following the arrests, the children were taken into care by Glasgow City Council’s Social Work Department. It is believed they are currently still in care and will attend a children’s hearing in October.

A spokesperson for the department yesterday said: “It would be inappropriate to comment on an individual case.”

The five family members made no plea or declaration when they appeared in court in September and were initially released on bail on the special condition they did not contact the children.