Child found covered in faeces asleep next to dead dog

A couple who kept 36 dogs and seven children in a three bedroom house have been jailed for child neglect.

Christopher Bennett, 35, and Gemma Brogan, 41, from Eastbourne were jailed for six years each after a judge told them they had shown profound indifference.

Amy Packham for the Crown told Lewes Crown Court Bennett and Brogan entered guilty pleas to seven counts of neglect on seven children in their care between September 2019 and June 2021.

The youngest was only two-years-old.

“This was wilful neglect,” said Ms Packham.

Police were called to the house after Bennett rang 999 and told the operator he was going to stab Brogan.

Police spoke to him through open bathroom window for 20 minutes.

When the police entered, the seven year old was in the living room with 36 dogs, one of which was dead.

The seven-year-old was dressed in just a nappy and had matted hair.

“She had no other clothes on, she smelt awful and had dog faeces on her skin," said Ms Packham.

“The seven children have been subjected to prolonged and serious neglect, serious cruelty and deliberate disregard for their welfare.

“They suffered serious psychological and developmental harm.

The police said the house was filthy and unhygienic. There was little or no food in the house.

Detective Constable Fiona Ashcroft, of the East Sussex safeguarding investigations unit, said: "This was a particularly dreadful example of child neglect.

"It is impossible to paint an accurate picture of the full extent of degradation and filth these vulnerable children had to endure.

"It is unequivocally one of the most awful addresses I have ever been in.

"The state of the whole house was shocking and repugnant - it was cluttered and was strewn with discarded clothing, litter, rotting food and animal faeces.

"It looked as if it had been filthy for a number of years."

Children's services carers only discovered one of the children had blonde hair after it had been washed several times.

Matted clumps of hair had been cut off one child who required a number of baths before she was clean.

All the children had rotten teeth and one child had to have a general anaesthetic so dentist could remove 13 teeth.

Schools in the area had extensive records of concerns for the children.

The youngest children did not know how to wash or brush their teeth. They were underweight, pale, could not sit at a table or use a knife and fork.

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One child was so neglected she was unsteady on her feet and appeared to be much younger.

She had no strength or stamina, was incredibly weak and very nervous with no social skills.

“It was as if she had never had to interact with people outside her household before,” Ms Packham said. “Her speech was poor and she had disturbing eating habits.

“She appeared to hoard food and checked with amazement at food in the fridge.”

After a few months in care her physical condition improved and she could follow simple instructions.

Carers had to explain to another child what shampoo and conditioner were and how to wash herself.

“She couldn’t read or write, didn’t know days of the week or months of the year.

“They discouraged her from going to school saying it would make her anxious and she would find it too hard.

“She looked after the younger ones,” Ms Packham said.