DURING the four-week trial the jury heard evidence of how Spry subjected the children to a regime of abuse.

The three victims, known as Victim A, B and C, described how their daily routines were punctuated by random acts of bizarre and sadistic violence.

Victim A told the court how she was confined to a wheelchair by Spry for over three years, after being injured in a car crash in 2000, in a ploy to maximise an insurance payout.

The woman, now aged 21, eventually fled from her foster mother and walked on the very same day.

Victim B, also 21, told how Spry would pull her hair and shove her face in her pet dog's faeces as punishment.

Victim C, now 18, described how Spry held his hand down on a hot electric hob until it was left looking like a "gooey mess". He said he had been force-fed so much washing up liquid he could differentiate between the brands on taste alone.

The children were also made to eat lard and if sick, would be forced to eat what they had thrown up and Spry would regularly beat them on the soles of the feet, forcing the sticks down their throats if they cried.

The offences took place in both of Spry's homes in Eckington and Tewkesbury between 1986 and 2005.

The abuse was finally discovered after another Jehovah's Witness secretly confronted Victim A about marks to her head.

Spry was able to conceal the abuse as the children were home-taught and were not allowed to be examined on their own by doctors or dentists.

Spry maintained her innocence throughout interviews and the trial.

Nigel Mitchell, mitigating, said despite the brutality and pain Spry had inflicted on the three children, there had been genuine moments of happiness and love shown towards them particuarly through holidays.

Mr Mitchell also revealed that Spry had needed protection in prison following her convictions.

After the sentencing, Gloucestershire Police said they were satisfied with the length of the sentence imposed on Spry.