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Glasgow Live
Glasgow Live
National
Wilma Riley

Glasgow sex beast locked terrified children in tiny dark cupboard with 'box of spiders'

A 64-year-old man has been jailed for seven years after being convicted of sexual and physical abuse.

Martin Di-Felice, from Glasgow, was found guilty of sexually abusing one girl from the age of eight to 16 and abusing another when she was 14.

Di-Felice also forced a young girl and boy on to stand with their hands over their heads for long periods of time and also shut them in a small, dark cupboard and told them there was a box of spiders in the corner.

The High Court in Glasgow offence against the boy was committed on various occasions between 1979 and 1982 in addresses in Glasgow when he was aged between three and six. The physical abuse of the girl took place on various occasions 1981 and 1994 between when she was aged between three and 16 at an address in Glasgow.

Judge Lord Mulholland told Di-Felice, who appeared via a video link: “This was appalling physical violence. It was cruel forcing them to stand in a corner with their hands in the air and place them in a small, dark cupboard and telling them there was a box of spiders in the corner. It must have been terrifying.”

The court heard that Di-Felice sexually abused a girl from the age of eight to 16 and another when she was 14.

His offences were committed at various addresses in Glasgow between 1974 and 1994.

Lord Mulholland placed Di-Felice on the sex offenders' register.

Defence QC Ian Duguid said: “He is described as a low risk of re-offending. These offences were many years ago. He now has cognitive impairment.”

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