Foster carer made kids drink bleach in catalogue of abuse as victim wins payout
A man who was subjected to horrific abuse by an evil foster carer has won a five-figure payout from a local council.
The unnamed victim was one of several children who suffered extreme child abuse at the hands of Sandra Clayton while in care between the 1970s to the early 90s.
Clayton, who was jailed for four years at the age of 70 back in 2017, was heard to have forced soiled underwear into two of her foster children’s mouths as a punishment during a harrowing trial.
Others were made to fight each other for food while in her care, take scalding hot showers, or were forced to stand outside in the freezing cold, reports Essex Live.
As well as being made to drink orange juice mixed with bleach, the victim reported being regularly pushed down the stairs, bitten on the face, and forced to stand naked while items were thrown at him.
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Clayton was jailed in 2017 for a catalogue of abuse from the 1970s to 1990s, which included forcing soiled underwear into children's mouths (Newsquest / SWNS.com)He also said he was coerced to harm himself, kept in a coal bunker for extended periods of time, chased around the house naked by a dog trained to bite his ankles, and force-fed food until he would vomit - before then being made to eat the vomit.
Additionally, he was once hospitalised for eight days after being thrown across a room.
The full extent of the abuse was detailed at Ipswich Crown Court in 2017, where Clayton pleaded guilty to three charges of cruelty to a person under age 16 and was sentenced to four years behind bars.
Following the conviction, the victim was approached by law firm Leigh Day, who brought a claim on his behalf against Essex County Council for the abuse he was subjected to at Clayton's hands
He received a five-figure sum in compensation this year - an amount that his solicitor said would not "undo" the sadistic abuse but would help hold the local authority accountable for what happened.
Leigh Day abuse team solicitor Andrew Lord, who represented the victim, said: "I am pleased that we were able to reach a significant settlement for my client, who has been through the most horrific abuse at a young age at the hands of someone who was supposed to be caring for him.
"This had an enormous impact on my client who was completely let down by both his foster carer and Essex County Council.
"While no amount of money can undo what Clayton did, I hope that the payment of compensation, alongside the criminal conviction, goes some way towards holding those involved accountable and helping my client to feel a sense of closure.”
An Essex County Council spokesman said: "The person in this case has a right to privacy which will be respected. In any case ECC will always work to achieve an amicable resolution.”
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