RACHEL LESSELS, FOSTER MOTHER FROM LETHAM, SENTENCED FOR CRUELTY IN DUNDEE
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Letham Child Abuser
A woman from Letham, identified as Rachel Lessels, has been sentenced to prison after a series of heinous acts of cruelty committed against children in her care. The court proceedings revealed a disturbing pattern of abuse that spanned over three years, during which Lessels subjected vulnerable children to severe and sadistic treatment.
Lessels, who was a foster mother in Fife, was found guilty of five charges related to cruelty and child assault. The jury at Dundee Sheriff Court unanimously convicted her after hearing detailed testimonies from her victims, who described the horrifying conditions they endured under her supervision. The court was told that her actions caused long-lasting trauma to the children, some of whom are still emotionally affected by the abuse.
Sheriff Paul Brown addressed the court, emphasizing the gravity of the offences. He stated, "These are grave offences against defenseless children who were in your care. There was a high degree of culpability. You were in a position of trust with professional responsibility over your victims. This was over a prolonged period and there were multiple incidents of serious cruelty. I note the harm caused to both witnesses, and from their evidence it was clear they are still emotionally impacted by your offending. There is no alternative to prison."
The court heard harrowing accounts from the victims, including a now 18-year-old man who recounted a particularly disturbing incident. During the three-day trial, he explained that he was forced to eat his own vomit after vomiting up his breakfast porridge. He described the ordeal, saying, "I was eating a bowl of porridge. I threw it back up into the bowl. I don't know why I threw it up but Rachel told me I had to eat it. I was crying and then Rachel took out this leaflet saying that the social work would take me away if I didn't eat it."
When asked why he complied with such a disgusting demand, the witness replied, "I was scared." He also testified to witnessing another child being physically attacked by Lessels, revealing, "I remember one time she dug her nails into his skin and ear. She had really long, pointy nails and dug them into his arms and his ear."
Another victim described a terrifying experience where Lessels held his head underwater in a bath for an extended period, adding to the list of abuses inflicted upon the children. The court also heard allegations that Lessels forced a child to stand for long periods during the summer and subjected him to various forms of abuse, including force-feeding vomit with a fork.
It was revealed that Lessels had been a foster carer for more than 50 children at her residence in Fife from the mid-2000s until 2017, when the allegations first came to light. Her actions have left a lasting scar on her victims, and her sentencing underscores the seriousness with which the justice system treats such violations of trust and abuse of vulnerable children.
Lessels, who was a foster mother in Fife, was found guilty of five charges related to cruelty and child assault. The jury at Dundee Sheriff Court unanimously convicted her after hearing detailed testimonies from her victims, who described the horrifying conditions they endured under her supervision. The court was told that her actions caused long-lasting trauma to the children, some of whom are still emotionally affected by the abuse.
Sheriff Paul Brown addressed the court, emphasizing the gravity of the offences. He stated, "These are grave offences against defenseless children who were in your care. There was a high degree of culpability. You were in a position of trust with professional responsibility over your victims. This was over a prolonged period and there were multiple incidents of serious cruelty. I note the harm caused to both witnesses, and from their evidence it was clear they are still emotionally impacted by your offending. There is no alternative to prison."
The court heard harrowing accounts from the victims, including a now 18-year-old man who recounted a particularly disturbing incident. During the three-day trial, he explained that he was forced to eat his own vomit after vomiting up his breakfast porridge. He described the ordeal, saying, "I was eating a bowl of porridge. I threw it back up into the bowl. I don't know why I threw it up but Rachel told me I had to eat it. I was crying and then Rachel took out this leaflet saying that the social work would take me away if I didn't eat it."
When asked why he complied with such a disgusting demand, the witness replied, "I was scared." He also testified to witnessing another child being physically attacked by Lessels, revealing, "I remember one time she dug her nails into his skin and ear. She had really long, pointy nails and dug them into his arms and his ear."
Another victim described a terrifying experience where Lessels held his head underwater in a bath for an extended period, adding to the list of abuses inflicted upon the children. The court also heard allegations that Lessels forced a child to stand for long periods during the summer and subjected him to various forms of abuse, including force-feeding vomit with a fork.
It was revealed that Lessels had been a foster carer for more than 50 children at her residence in Fife from the mid-2000s until 2017, when the allegations first came to light. Her actions have left a lasting scar on her victims, and her sentencing underscores the seriousness with which the justice system treats such violations of trust and abuse of vulnerable children.