DAVID LAMB: HORRIFIC CHILD ABUSE IN ACCRINGTON, BOLTON, AND MANSFIELD REVEALED

In a disturbing case that has shocked communities across Accrington, Bolton, and Mansfield, David Lamb, aged 47, has been sentenced to five years in prison for a series of heinous acts of child cruelty and psychological torment inflicted upon young children over a span of nearly two decades.

According to court reports, Lamb’s pattern of sadistic behavior began in the early 1990s while he was living in Blackburn, Lancashire, and involved targeting children of his former partners. His actions included terrifying pranks and physical abuse that left his victims traumatized and fearful for years.

One of the most chilling aspects of Lamb’s abuse was his method of instilling fear through the guise of horror movie characters. He would climb into the loft above the children’s bedrooms late at night, scratching on the ceilings and pretending to be Freddy Krueger from the Nightmare on Elm Street films. This sinister act was designed to terrify the children, often leaving them sobbing in terror in the dark. On one occasion, Lamb fell from the loft onto a child’s bed, further adding to the trauma.

His cruelty extended beyond psychological torment. Lamb would hang children from door frames by their clothing, making it difficult for them to breathe, and would even involve his pet lizards, encouraging them to bite the children’s fingers. He also engaged in more overtly frightening acts, such as bundling a young victim into the boot of his car and driving around to scare him, and beating children with a sweeping brush.

One particularly distressing incident involved a boy as young as five, who was locked inside a cupboard and taped to a large toy car. Lamb then repeatedly rammed the toy against a wall while the child screamed in fear. To amplify the terror, he would play loud music from Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds late at night, further unsettling the children.

The victims, all of whom were children of Lamb’s former partners, endured these horrors in silence for many years before finally reporting the abuse to police in Lancashire in 2013, when they were in their twenties. They recounted how Lamb took particular pleasure in using darkness and fear to manipulate and terrify them, with one victim stating that Lamb had “ruined his life” through the physical and psychological abuse he suffered.

During the trial at Preston Crown Court, Lamb, who hails from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, was convicted of child cruelty. The court heard that his campaign of abuse began in the early 1990s while he was in a relationship with a woman who was a mother of six children and living in Blackburn. One of her children, Adam Neil, was targeted specifically because of his dark skin. Lamb would call him derogatory names such as “paki” and “black b.stard,” and would enter his bedroom with a pillowcase over his head, striking him in the face. The prosecution described Lamb’s behavior as sadistic towards all three of the young victims.

Prosecutor Julian Taylor detailed some of Lamb’s disturbing acts, including his climbing into the loft to scratch at the ceiling and pretending to be Freddy Krueger. On one occasion, Lamb fell onto Adam Neil’s bed from the loft. He also drove Adam around in his car’s boot to frighten him. Adam eventually left home and moved in with foster parents, but Lamb’s abuse did not end there.

Later, Lamb entered into a relationship with Denise Foley, the mother of Steven and Ryan, both under the age of ten at the time. During the mid to late 1990s, while Denise was at work, Lamb subjected Steven and Ryan to further acts of cruelty in their home in Accrington. The court heard that Steven, aged about seven, was hung from doorways by his clothing, locked in cupboards under the stairs in the dark, and subjected to loud music to scare him at night. Lamb also made Steven’s pet lizards bite his fingers and hurled Steven through doors. He even tied Steven’s hand to a dog’s lead and ordered the dog to run, dragging the boy along.

Ryan was not spared from Lamb’s violence either. He was subjected to physical assaults, including being stamped on and hung from door frames to restrict his breathing. Lamb also taped Ryan to a toy car, locked him under the stairs with his brother, and left him in a freezing cold bath, denying him access to the toilet.

Victims’ impact statements revealed the profound and lasting damage caused by Lamb’s actions. Adam Neil described feeling scared, ashamed, and embarrassed, stating that Lamb’s abuse had “ruined his life” and affected his children and family. Steven Foley, who initially saw Lamb as a father figure, recounted how Lamb’s physical abuse and torture led him into depression during his teenage years, feeling lonely and worthless. Ryan, who is undergoing treatment for ADHD, has even attempted to take his own life.

Lamb was arrested but initially bailed, only to disappear and evade trial. He was eventually found hiding under the bed of his pregnant girlfriend in the Westhoughton area of Bolton. During police interviews, Lamb denied the allegations, claiming that a former partner held a vendetta against him. His lawyer, Jonathan Duffy, argued that much of the behavior was “bullying” and not of a serious nature.

However, Judge Stuart Baker delivered a stern sentence, condemning Lamb’s cruelty. He emphasized that Lamb’s actions were the opposite of what a caring parent or step-parent should do, highlighting the deliberate nature of his terrorizing of the children. The judge described Lamb as “devious, domineering, and manipulative,” noting the psychological harm inflicted on the victims and the long-term impairments they now face.

Following the sentencing, Denise Foley expressed her shock and disgust, stating, “I hadn’t got a clue what was going on but the fact he truly is a monster who should be kept away from children. He should be locked away for good.” The case has left a community in shock, and Lamb’s actions serve as a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance and safeguarding vulnerable children from such predators.