A man who abused his five children and held them hostage was described in court on Monday as a psychopath with no chance of rehabilitation.
Sentencing proceedings in the trial of the so-called Springs monster couple got underway in the Pretoria High Court.
The couple made national headlines when they were arrested in 2014 when their son managed to escape and call for help.
The man faced 22 charges and was found guilty in August of the attempted murder of his son, the rape of his daughter, child abuse and neglect, as well as using and dealing in drugs.
The boy was 11-years old at the time of the crime and his sister sixteen. The couple had three more children who also suffered severe abuse and neglect.
The two oldest children have told the North Gauteng High Court through affidavits, that their mother also needs to take responsibility for their abuse.
She faced 20 charges but was only found guilty on a charge of child neglect.
The court found that she was an abused and battered woman who has since divorced her husband.
The daughter who is now 20-years-old said that she still cannot read or write since they were never allowed to go to school, both her and her brother, who is now 16, said they want nothing to do with either of their parents.
A Psychologist testified in court on Monday that the father was a psychopath with a sadistic tendency with a slim chance of being rehabilitated.
She told the court how the man himself was violently abused by his own father, who also shot and injured his mother.
The trial will continue on Tuesday.
