The Provincial Court in Palma de Mallorca has condemned a couple from the Mallorcan town of Llucmajor to a total of 52 years in prison for sexually abusing their own three children when they were aged between six and 12 years, between 2000 and 2004, and for physical and psychological abuse.

The judge handed down a sentence of 31 years in jail for the mother, Pedrona Mas Oliver, and 21 years for the father, Antonio Garcías Gordo and withdrew all parental rights to the children, two boys and a girl, who were awarded 25,000 euros in compensation from their parents.

Both parents were found guilty of persistent sexual abuse, sexual provocation, exhibitionism, physical violence and psychological abuse in the home.  The judge heard how the couple regularly had sex in front of their children and how the father forced their daughter to have sex with one of her brothers whilst the mother did nothing to prevent it.

The mother is also accused of having sex with the other son at least three times, and of holding down the younger boy while the father raped him at least three times.

The children were beaten violently on a regular basis and it was the physical signs of this violence that alerted the teachers at the childnren's school to their situation.  As a result, the children were taken into care in 2004.

All three children have received and will continue to receive psychological care to overcome their horrendous ordeal.