‘Springs monster’ found guilty of rape, attempted murder

The man accused of abusing his children for more than a decade, dubbed ‘Springs monster’, has been found guilty by the North Gauteng High Court on Thursday.

The man who faced more than 20 charges with his wife was found guilty of the attempted murder of his son, child abuse and neglect, the rape of his then 16-year-old daughter, as well as using and dealing in drugs.

The case was postponed by Judge Eben Jordaan on Wednesday for judgment after counsel for the state and defence concluded their arguments.

The 39-year-old mother and her former husband, also 39, had pleaded not guilty to 21 charges, including attempting to murder their son, child abuse and neglect and dealing in drugs from their large double-storey house in Springs, which became known as the ‘house of horrors’.

The father also denied raping and sexually molesting his eldest daughter for years.

The Citizen earlier reported the abuse came to light in 2014 when their eldest son ran to neighbours for help, but the father allegedly went to fetch him and severely assaulted him before hiding him with family in the Free State, where the police later found the boy.

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