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thehesbomb

Trusted Member
I am fucking livid that I can't find a single picture of ANY of the accused, just this picture of the hollow-eyed victim!

A MAN was tortured for weeks by his girlfriend, her brother, her lover and her children before he was found dead at the house they shared, a court was told yesterday.

After the discovery in Chilton, County Durham, doctors were said to have found “an enormous numberâ€￾ of injuries on the body of Andrew Gardner.

He had also been suffering from blood poisoning and possible malnutrition.

Teesside Crown Court was told he had 21 rib fractures, burns to his feet, neck and back, whip-like marks on his body, severe bruising and bleeding inside the brain.

Home Office pathologist Dr Nigel Cooper concluded that the main cause of Mr Gardner’s death were the chest injuries and associated tears to the lining of the chest cavity.

The jury was told marks caused by sharp objects were also found on Mr Gardner’s stomach, described by Dr Cooper as “a grotesque game of noughts and crossesâ€￾.

The alleged catalogue of cruelty was outlined by Paul Sloan, QC, prosecuting, on the first day of the trial of Clare Nicholls, 28, Simon Nicholls, 24, and Steven Martin, 44, who all deny murder.

It is said Mr Gardner also:

● Had boiling water poured over his feet in the bath;
● Was burnt after being held against a radiator;
● Had a hot cigarette lighter put on his neck and back;
● Suffered knife wounds to his eyebrow, arm and chest;
● Was denied food and had to steal from cupboards;
● Was forced to stand and watch as the others ate;
● Had insults scrawled on his body in pen and nail polish;
● Was forced to sleep on newspapers and bags;
● Had a square object “jabbedâ€￾ into his face; and
● Was scratched with keys by the children in the house.

The three defendants shared a house in Arthur Street, with Mr Gardner, 35, and Miss Nicholls’ four children – the youngest of whom was born to Mr Gardner.

Mr Martin, a former partner of Miss Nicholls, was said to have been involved in “an onoff relationshipâ€￾ with her at the time of Mr Gardner’s death nine months ago.

He had moved into the house shortly before the death on March 13, but later told police Miss Nicholls was a control freak who terrified him and others with her temper.

In an interview after his arrest, Mr Martin said he was scared to intervene when Miss Nicholls attacked Mr Gardner because he was afraid she would do the same to him.

Mr Nicholls blamed his sister for inflicting most of the injuries when he was interviewed, and also said Mr Martin took a part in some of the beatings.

When details of his interview were read to the jury by Mr Sloan, Miss Nicholls reacted angrily to being accused of leaping onto Mr Gardner with her knees.

She was removed from the dock by guards after screaming at her brother: “You were the one who cracked him. You were the one who cracked him in the ribs.â€￾

In her interview, Miss Nicholls denied most of the allegations, but accepted she slapped, pushed and shoved Mr Gardner when she lost her temper with him.

She said Mr Gardner had gone for a walk on the night of his death, complained of being attacked when he returned and had fallen into unconsciousness.

Mr Nicholls later admitted concocting the story before calling 999.

Mr Sloan described the notion Mr Gardner died within half an hour of returning as “utter rubbishâ€￾.

He told the jury: “It is apparent that Andrew Gardner had been severely and repeatedly beaten, burned and tortured over a period of weeks.

“There were a large number of linear wounds – scratches – scattered around the body, indicating that the point of an object or objects had been pulled deliberately and repeatedly across the surface of the body.

“Dr Cooper described this as a grotesque game of noughts and crosses drawn on Andrew Gardener’s skin.

“In addition to the specific injuries, Dr Cooper also noted an enormous number of further injuries, including bruises and abrasions scattered about Andrew Gardner’s body. Those injuries were of at least three different ages They indicate an innumerable number of blows dealt to Andrew Gardner, quite possibly punches, slaps, quite possibly kicks or blows from a weapon or weapons, over a period of at least weeks.â€￾

The court was told that Mr Gardner routinely dropped off and collected his partner’s three eldest children – aged nine, seven and five – from school.

Staff last saw him on the last day of term – a month before his death – and on that occasion his face was covered in bruises and cuts.

Miss Nicholl’s seven-yearold son gave an account to police after the death, and Mr Sloan described as “most disturbingâ€￾

the fact that he believed the treatment as “normalâ€￾.

The boy told detectives that his mother would often punch Mr Gardner in the face, stamp on him when he curled up to protect himself and jump on him with her knees.

He said Miss Nicholls did “full-powerâ€￾ karate kicks to her partner’s legs, and that Mr Gardner was forced to sleep on newspapers and bags to stop blood going on the carpet.

The boy told police after his mother’s arrest how almost the entire family scrawled words on Mr Gardener’s body, sometimes in nail varnish “because he acted like a girlâ€￾.

The trial continues.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/8440049.stm

R.I.P Andrew Gardner

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OMG-I can;t imagine a man taking this? I can't imagine anyone taking this? Was he mentally handiapped in any way? Either way very tragic.
 
Beyond being disgusting what they put this man thru, it is extra disturbing that they involved the children in his torture...including his own child! And, the kids find it normal?! God, I hope there is a chance of correcting this wrong so the children, especially the two oldest, realize how barbaric it was and can grow up to be productive members of society, not perps that we end up reading about on here!
 
OMG-I can;t imagine a man taking this? I can't imagine anyone taking this? Was he mentally handiapped in any way? Either way very tragic.

I was wondering the same thing! Okay, the other 3 adults could have held him down and inflicted the injuries/death, but it was reported that he picked up her oldest 3 kids from school and his face was all messed up. So, obviously, it was happening for some time AND he was able to get away from them. I don't get it. Very, very sad and disturbing!
 
Life terms for torture murderers
Source: BBC News


A mother and her brother have been jailed for life for the murder of a County Durham man tortured to death.

Clare Nicholls, 28, and her brother Simon, 24, were convicted of the murder of her partner Andrew Gardner, 35, at a house they shared in Chilton in 2008.
The mother-of-four was told she must serve at least 32 years in jail. Her brother will serve at least 25 years.

Nicholls' ex-lover Steven Martin, 44, was also convicted of murder and will be sentenced after psychiatric reports.

All three had denied murder.

Teesside Crown Court heard how Mr Gardner was burnt and beaten over a period of weeks before his death at the house in Chilton in March 2008.
A jury was told how helpless Mr Gardner suffered weeks of agonising violence.
During the two-week trial Clare Nicholls admitted manslaughter, but her plea was rejected by the Crown.

Mr Gardner was father to the youngest of his partner's four children.
He had 21 rib fractures, burns to his feet, neck and back, whip-like marks on his body, severe bruising and brain bleeding.

Crude abuse was daubed on his body in nail varnish when he cried.
Jurors wept when they heard that youngsters were encouraged to join in the attacks at the house they shared in Arthur Street, Chilton.

Marks caused by a sharp object were found on his body, described by Home Office pathologist Dr Nigel Cooper as "a grotesque game of noughts and crosses".

Boiling water was poured over his feet in the bath, he was held against a hot radiator and scorched with a cigarette lighter.
Mr Gardner, who weighed 8st 14lb (57kg) was banned from eating and was forced to steal food from cupboards, and received more punishment when he got caught.

Paramedics were called to the house on 13 March last year but, Mr Gardner had been dead for some time.

Medical evidence showed he was incapacitated by a second, painful set of rib injuries, probably caused by jumps or stamps, and that he took "some time to die".

After the verdict, Mr Gardner's mother Jean said: "The thoughts of what went on at the hands and direction of that evil woman has left me with nightmares that will probably never go away.

"Andrew was a pleasant, caring, loving lad, who kept out of trouble and was never violent to anyone.

"It's unspeakable what she and the others did. You don't do that to another human being."

Ch Insp Mick Nail added: "This has been the worst case of violence Durham Constabulary has had to investigate.
"The injuries that Andrew Gardner suffered could well have been inflicted by medieval torturers.

"Claire Nicholls led and orchestrated the abuse and degradation of Andrew and topped his suffering with humiliation - made worse by the fact that she involved her own children."

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Clare and Simon Nicholls had denied murdering Mr Gardner

1111ys.jpg

Steven Martin joined in the sadistic attacks on Andrew Gardner
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I was wondering the same thing! Okay, the other 3 adults could have held him down and inflicted the injuries/death, but it was reported that he picked up her oldest 3 kids from school and his face was all messed up. So, obviously, it was happening for some time AND he was able to get away from them. I don't get it. Very, very sad and disturbing!

I've been combing through a bunch of articles and I'm pretty mystified myself.

what I'm gleaning is he was already frail and malnourished and didn't have anywhere to go because they just moved there and that they incapacitated him by cracking his ribs and burning his feet making it horribly painful to walk. one article did mention though he had been taking taking the kids to school, and last visit witnesses saw him he was a mess and they didn't see him again anywhere from 2 weeks to a month prior to his death.

eww and they also played tick-tack-toe by craving the game into his chest.

I also just caught this, posted jan 25th:

Challenge to sentences given to the brother and sister
Source: northern echo

LAWYERS for killers Clare and Simon Nicholls are planning to appeal against their combined 57 years behind bars.

Lawyers for the pair argued their minimum terms should have started at the 15-year bracket and been increased because of aggravating factors.

They said elevating the killing into the higher level was wrong because it was not sadistic, despite Mr Gardener’s prolonged suffering.

Wow how do those lawyers sleep at night?
 
Wow how do those lawyers sleep at night?[/QUOTE said:
On a big pile of money !
The victim looks like an emaciated Ricky Groves . He was probably ashamed of being abused , I can't think of any other reason he didn't tell someone about it .
 
I am guessing that this man was mentally disabled to some degree. No one tolerates abuse like that and doesn't defend themselves. Not normal adults, anyway.
 
On a big pile of money !
The victim looks like an emaciated Ricky Groves . He was probably ashamed of being abused , I can't think of any other reason he didn't tell someone about it .

Holy Shit! Your right, he does!

I couldn't believe someone could use the words "not sadistic" in the same sentence with "prolonged suffering", that really blew my mind.

I am guessing that this man was mentally disabled to some degree. No one tolerates abuse like that and doesn't defend themselves. Not normal adults, anyway.

I think your both right about this guy, I believe he probably was slightly handicapped which also made him feel ashamed as he probably was picked on his whole life.

this is such a truly heart breaking story.

when those kids are grown they will need some serious therapy to deal with the knowledge they were co-hearsed in to helping torture their Father/ step Father to death.

Sadly these kids lives are going to be utterly ruined with these memories.
 
Holy shit I can't believe this I have only just come upon it when looking up family I have lost touch with i was looking up my aunt and came across a newspaper article with her name in only to discover she had changed her name but my cousins had not and they could do this to someone I avent seen them since they were little children living in crookhorn and nutbourne before that there is no mention of their dad Barry nicholls where is he I wonder I knew my aunt and him split whilst in croohorn but did or know they went up north what took them there. This has knocked me for six to say the least any more info would be welcomed have trawled Internet would love to know where Janet is now or even Barry their dad
 
Sorry you had to find relatives on this site, @Bexxxxx . I am sure it is the last place I would want to find any of mine, either committing hideous crimes or being on the receiving end.....

I am afraid I wouldn't know how to go about tracing Janet or Barry. I don't blame them for changing their names and moving away, whether they did it before or after this horrible murder. They must have known something was not right with their kids.

I hope you do find them, and that they are safe and sane, however.
 
Did the scumbags ever give an explanation?

I too was thinking the victim likely had some sort of mental handicap.
 
I don't know that you'd have to be handicapped... but perhaps he'd been victimized before, maybe in childhood; or maybe it was a long-term descent into abuse that culminated in this.

Reframe it--pretend he's a woman being abused by a husband--and think about what would keep her trapped. I bet a lot of the same things kept him trapped, too. Disability certainly does make it harder to escape abuse, and yes, adult men are less likely to be abused by their spouses than adult women; but spousal abuse with a male victim and a female perpetrator is not unheard-of. And it can be harder to escape from precisely because no one expects a battered spouse to be the husband rather than the wife.
 
The reason that he stayed in this situation was because he didn't want to leave the daughter that he had with this cretinous woman, with these people. Maybe his thinking was along the lines of, if they had this much hatred towards him, then they may just be sick enough to "take it out" on his daughter once he left!
 
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