A convicted pedophile, who was awaiting his sentence for sex crimes, was found dead in a U.K. prison cell.
Andrew Hadwin, 39, was found guilty of three counts each for rape as well as seven counts of neglect. He was also found guilty of three counts each of rape and seven counts of neglect.
Hadwin and Pickles were scheduled to be sentenced on April 28.
According to the U.K Ministry of Justice Hadwin was found dead inside his cell at the HM Prison Durham on Thursday.
It is not clear at this time what caused the death.
A prison spokesperson said, “As with any death in custody the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman(PPO) will investigate. ”
Authorities were alerted to the alleged child abuse of Hadwin and Pickles after one of the victims reported the horrendous torture to an adult.
MEAWW reported that “Detectives from the inquiry panning four years and involving over 150 witnesses” revealed that the couple repeatedly abused their children. They locked them in cupboards, forced them to take hot baths, and made them suffer in water. They were seen walking alone at 4:40 a.m. to the supermarket to search for food.
According to the LBC, “one child suffered life-threatening injuries and other children were often hurt,” Teesside Crown Court heard.
Another child was apparently suspended above a highway as a torture device.
Pickles and Hadwin were questioned about allegations of child abuse. They allegedly forge letters from children and apologized for making false allegations.
An expert in handwriting disproved the letters and discovered that adults had written them.
Detective Constable Kat Pudney from Durham Constabulary’s Safeguarding Unit stated the child abuse case was complex and difficult. She stated, “This was something that I’ve never seen during my career as an officer.” Pickles and Hadwin abused vulnerable children in multiple ways, denying them their childhoods and leaving them with psychological scars they may never heal.