Glasgow couple tormented foster children in 'house of horrors'

An elderly couple have been convicted of horrific historical abuse towards six of their foster children at their “house of horrors”.

Douglas Daniel, 80, and Barbara Daniel, 75, tormented the children, aged between four and 14, at the property in Glasgow’s Parkhead.

They used punishment methods, including forcing some of the kids into an animal pen, making a child stand with geese who pecked her skin, and ordering another to bathe in a bird bath.

Some of the children went hungry and one recalled being fed cow tongue meant for pet ferrets.

The Daniels, now of Kent, denied the accusations which spanned between 1986 and 1991.

They were found guilty six charges of cruel and unnatural treatment of a child at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Tuesday.

Sheriff Louise Arrol KC told them: “You have been convicted unanimously of what I describe as the most unspeakable abuse.

“Your youngest victim was just four years old.

“They were vulnerable children who were removed from their caregivers and taken to a place of safety which was supposed to be you.

“Instead, this wasn’t anything short of a house of horrors.

“I cannot understand human beings behaving in this way let alone towards children.

“I commend your victims for coming forward to relive live long trauma and today justice has caught up with you.

“Douglas Daniel, remarkably, you have a criminal record for dishonesty and you were trusted with children.”

Abusers fostered 100 children

The court heard that the Daniels started fostering the first of their 100 children in 1986.

A 48-year-old woman told how she and her younger sister – then aged nine and four – went to live with them.

She recalled an incident when her sister – who was afraid of chickens – was held in a coop at the back of the property.

“They locked the door from the outside,” the woman said.

“I tried to get her as my sister was screaming.”

She added that while this went on, Barbara Daniel pulled her hair and helped Douglas Daniel close their door.

Prosecutor Ryan Watson told jurors in his evidence: “The four-year-old was desperate to get out and was being pushed back inside.

“She was petrified, screaming to get out and she says to this day she cannot take her own children to a farm due to that experience.”

A 53-year-old woman stated in her evidence that Barbara Daniel made her stand with geese as a form of punishment.

She said: “When I spoke back to the Daniels or Barbara would get me to eat food that I disliked, geese eggs.

“If I refused, part of my punishment was I would be put outside where the geese were running free.

“The geese would attack you. She would pull you and shake you. Barbara would put you in front of the geese.

“The geese could tell you were scared of them and attack you.”

She stated that she was left with red marks “that would not go away” as the geese would nip her skin.

One of the women told how she was also made to bathe outside.

Mr Watson said: “This was a bath where the birds would bathe or defecate in. Barbara would push her in and laugh at her

“She was only allowed to come out when Barbara had her fun.”

The same woman recalled being served a Sunday roast before it was taken away by Barbara Daniel.

Mr Watson added: “They then gave her cow’s tongue, which was due for the ferrets.

“She remembers it was the most disgusting thing she’d ever seen.

“She recalled that it was grey and saw the taste buds of the tongue.”

Some of the victims told jurors that they were not fed by the Daniels. Another victim claimed she ate from the kitchen floor.

Mr Watson said: “She was looked on as the same as the dogs by the Daniels.”

A 47-year-old man who stayed with the Daniels told jurors that Barbara was seen as the “boss” while Douglas was a “scary physical man”.

The man recalled instances where he was forced to stand outside in the heat against a wall.

Douglas also attacked one of the girls by slapping them and ordered a victim to strip naked to check for injuries.

Barbara Daniel’s violence included hitting one of the girls with a wooden spoon and pulling a victim by her hair.

The victims told jurors that their personal freedoms were restricted by being locked in their rooms and the windows being alarmed.

A woman recalled not being able to go to the toilet alone with the door locked.

One of the victims stated that she was only given one ply of toilet paper to use.

Mr Watson said: “They punished these children and showed no compassion or care. They were the real animals.

“This was supposed to be a safe home, respite from the troubles in the other aspects of their life. The Daniels did not offer them that basic, simple and expected need.”

Douglas Daniel in his evidence denied the allegations put to him by his counsel Duncan McPhie.

The retired car mechanic said: “They never happened. There is no truth to any of them.”

Sentencing was deferred pending background reports until March and the Daniels’ bail was continued.