Mother who forced son's head into cat litter jailed

A mother who subjected her young son to repeated abuse, including forcing his head into a cat litter tray, has been sentenced to six months in prison.

Ruth Anne Jennings, 53, of Oakvale Place in Maghera, was sentenced at Londonderry Crown Court on Monday after pleading guilty to three counts of assaulting her son, Jamie Jennings.

The court was told that two of the assaults took place in 2012, with a third occurring in 2016.

Ruth Anne Jennings' then-partner, Brian McMaster, 41, of Upper Princes Street, Ballymena- was also sentenced to six months in jail on Monday.

Warning: This article contains references that some people may find upsetting

The court heard that in 2018, Jamie Jennings disclosed a pattern of historical psychological and physical abuse that occurred over the previous three to four years.

On one occasion, his mother became angry and forced his head into a cat litter tray.

In another incident, she used a blade to inflict a cut on his chest.

Ruth Anne Jennings' then-partner, Brian McMaster also pleaded guilty to assaulting Jamie Jennings in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury.

The abuse took place between 1 December 2016, and 31 March 2018, when he was under the age of 16.

The court was told that McMaster would grab Jamie's hand and squeeze it so tightly that he would be forced to the ground.

He also struck him on the genitals and laughed when Jamie asked him to stop.

McMaster claimed he never used brute force and had not intended to harm Jamie, who was aged between nine and 13 during the period of abuse.

Judge Neil Rafferty KC said both defendants continued to minimise or deny the abuse, despite their guilty pleas.

He said Jamie Jennings had written to the court describing the psychological and emotional trauma he endured.

In his letter, Jamie stated that he no longer referred to Ruth Anne Jennings as his mother, saying she had failed to protect him and did not deserve the title.

Judge Rafferty praised the victim for his resilience and strength in coming forward.

"You did not deserve these crimes inflicted on you as a child," he said.

"It was a callous and cruel course of conduct for you to grow up in.

"I am glad that you managed to get away and that you've shown such significant resilience."

Speaking to the BBC's State of Us podcast ahead of the sentencing, Jamie Jennings, now aged 21, said that although, on paper, the cat litter incident is not the worst thing his mother did to him, it's the one that sticks in his mind.

"She was angry at my brother and then that got diverted to me," he said.

"Every day she'd give you a list of things to do and the cat litter hadn't been changed.

"At that time we had five or six cats in this small utility room beside the kitchen.

"She dragged me in there and threw me onto the floor and started shoving cat litter and lifting bits with pee and poo on it and shoving it into my mouth.

"I was in shock and disbelief that this happened."

Jamie said he was nine or 10 when it happened, and the feeling of stone and grit in his mouth is still clear in his mind.

"You're trying to spit it out and it's dry and dusty.

"It's like getting sand in your food."

As well as cats, the family also had four small dogs, plus a St Bernard and a Rottweiler.

He said the house smelled of animal excrement—smells that lingered on his clothes, particularly his school uniform.

"I'm going into school and I'm smelling like dog piss and cat piss," he said.

"I had these bunk beds in my room and I didn't use the top bunk."

He said the cat had been using the top bunk as a litter box and that mould was growing on the bed.

Jamie Jennings said he was unable to wash himself because the bath "was actually full of black bags with dirty clothes."

"When I was getting ready for school I would just go in and splash a bit of water on my hair and that was me for weeks," he added.

Jamie left home at the age of 14 and has been estranged from his mother ever since:

"She was uncaring and demanding and intimidating. She would just explode."

She slashed him on the chest with a Stanley knife, and on another occasion threw a pair of scissors at him, cutting his arm.

He said she did not apologise or try to treat the wounds, and never referred to the incidents again.

When he moved out, Jamie went to live with his granny and one of his brothers.

He said that experience left an indelible mark.

"I felt I was spoiled. I felt like I was a rich kid in a way. I was getting food every day and they got me a brand new uniform.

"My granny was cooking for me and my brother was making meals. He was really like a dad to me then. Taking me to places like the cinema and go karting and bowling."

But the most profound difference, for Jamie, was a clean school uniform.

"I remember going into school that first day," he said.

"There was this guy and he said: 'What the hell, sir. Who are you?' and I said: 'yes I am different'.

"I felt fresher and it sounds disgusting but I didn't feel that stickiness. I felt free."

Jamie eventually reported his mother to the police, and it has taken seven years for the case to reach its conclusion.

The Covid-19 pandemic and multiple adjournments added to the delay.

In that time, he found employment, and just recently, his partner gave birth to their first child.

"I was quite worried about becoming a dad but I can't ever imagine doing any of these things to my daughter," Jamie said.

"It angers you and niggles at you that I didn't get the treatment I'm giving her.

"It makes you want to give her the best treatment you can.

"From having food on the table and to give her the chance to find things she likes."

You can hear Jamie's interview on The State of Us podcast. Available now on BBC Sounds.

If you have been affected by any of the content of this article, details of help and support is available on the BBC Action Line website.