MARTIN TURNBULL'S SHOCKING CHILD ABUSE IN NEWCASTLE AND WIDEOPEN REVEALED

In a disturbing case that has shocked the communities of Newcastle and Wideopen, Martin Turnbull, aged 29, was brought before Newcastle Crown Court to face serious allegations of child abuse involving his stepchildren. Despite admitting to multiple assaults, Turnbull was surprisingly spared imprisonment, receiving only a two-year rehabilitation order that allows him to avoid jail time.

Turnbull, formerly residing on Warkworth Drive in Wideopen, was charged with three counts of assault against his stepchildren, aged 16, 12, and 10, during his marriage to their mother. The court proceedings revealed a troubling history of violence and brutality inflicted upon the children, which had remained hidden until Turnbull himself contacted social services in 2002, accusing the children's mother of being an unfit parent.

Social workers, upon interviewing the children, uncovered the extent of the abuse. They reported that Turnbull had violently slammed a young girl’s head against a cupboard with such force that she wet herself in terror. Additionally, he had used a leather belt, folded in half, to beat his sister when she was under 10 years old. The revelations left the family devastated and angry, especially the mother, who expressed her dismay at the court’s leniency. She stated, “I am devastated. He has admitted to hitting the bairns but has been allowed to just walk out of court as if nothing has happened. Where is the justice in that?”

The court heard detailed accounts of the abuse. Penny Moreland, prosecuting, described an incident dating back to April 2001, where Turnbull had asked a young boy if he would push his baby brother to his grandmother’s house. When the boy refused, Turnbull began hitting him, causing him to fall to the ground and continue to be kicked with Turnbull’s shoes on. The abuse of the girl was equally disturbing. She recounted how Turnbull had slapped her and rammed her head against a cupboard door after she was cheeky and ran to her bedroom. She also described being struck with a folded belt, which left red marks on her legs, during her childhood between the ages of five and ten.

Defense lawyer Mark Styles argued that Turnbull’s actions stemmed from his inability to cope with the stresses of holding down two jobs and feeling unappreciated at home. He suggested that the defendant’s behavior was a result of personal struggles rather than malicious intent.

Judge Beatrice Bolton, presiding over the case, expressed her concern about Turnbull’s background, noting that he had likely suffered abuse himself as a child. She questioned his decision to inflict similar fear and pain on vulnerable children, emphasizing the severity of his actions. The judge stated, “To cause a little girl to wet herself demonstrated the level of fear that you caused. You are considered a danger to children and will be put on a register where social services will monitor your contact with them.”

Representatives from the NSPCC, including Sue Woolmore, commented on the case, highlighting that Turnbull would be required to undergo an intensive treatment program to address his behavior. Woolmore noted that if he had been sent to prison, there might not have been sufficient time for him to complete such a program.

Meanwhile, the mother, now living with a new partner, expressed her frustration with the court’s decision. She believed that prison might not have been the best solution for Turnbull, claiming he had been pretending to villagers that all charges had been dropped to avoid taking responsibility. She revealed that Turnbull is now planning to move approximately 30 miles south of the river, away from the family home, raising concerns about the safety and well-being of the children and the community at large.