A depraved and cruel couple were given long jail sentences on Friday, January 28, 2022, after being convicted of sex abuse offences against a 12-year-old girl and cruelty against other children.
Nicholas Harris, 54, was jailed for 23 years and Claire Buttice for 12 years by a judge at Luton Crown Court.
The couple, from Luton, will have to serve at least two-thirds of the sentence before they are considered for release.
They must register as sex offenders indefinitely and are banned from having any contact with the victims.
Harris, who had subjected the girl to degrading abuse, had threatened her that somebody would ‘get her’ if she told anyone.
The other victims were hit with sticks and deprived of food.
In a victim statement, the girl said she feels what happened to her has sabotaged her own happiness.
She suffers from insomnia and has nightmares.
Other victims said they had low self-esteem, eating problems and cannot trust people.
Judge Lynn Tayton QC told Harris the impact of his offending had been ‘profound’.
She told Buttice she participated in the offence at the instigation of Harris, but that did not excuse her behaviour.
