A married couple who kept their three children locked up inSpainbetween 2021 and 2025 have been sent toprisonfor three years. A court has also banned them from seeing the youngsters until they are grown-ups and has refused them any sort of contact.

Theso-called "House of Horrors"was discovered inOviedoafter neighbours thought there were children in the house, but they were never seen, never played in the garden and never went toschool. The couple were arrested on suspicion of child cruelty and failing to comply with their duties as parents. A trial was held in Spain in March behind closed doors. A judge ruled it could not be held in public as the details would cause considerable damage to the children, who reportedly continue to suffer ill effects on theirmentaland physical health.

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Both parents were acquitted of the charges of unlawful detention. However, both were convicted of habitual psychologicalabusewithin the family and sentenced to two years and four months in prison each.

In addition, they have been barred from holding public office for the duration of their sentences, prohibited from possessing firearms for four years and six months and banned from exercising parental authority, guardianship orfoster carefor three years and four months.

The sentence also prohibits them from approaching the minors within 980 feet (300m) of their home, school or any other place they go to for three years and four months.

The court also sentenced them to six months in prison each for abandonment of family. As compensation for the civil liability, they must pay each child €30,000 (£25,900). They are also ordered to pay two-fifths of the court costs.

The prosecution had asked for a 25-year prison sentence.

The couple entered prison two days after their arrest, on April 28 2025, after the complaint from neighbours. The defendants –a 53-year-old German man and a 48-year-old woman with dual German-American nationality– were facing individual sentences totalling 25 years and four months in prison for crimes of habitual psychological violence in the family and illegal detention.

Source: Daily Express :: World Feed