A PENSIONER who uses a wheelchair is facing a prison sentence for child cruelty crimes going back decades.

Peggy Whiles, 69, was found guilty of three of the five charges she faced during a trial.

A jury also found that her husband Kenneth, 71, had been cruel and carried out sex attacks on children.

The Teesside Crown Court jury of eight men and four women took 15-and-a-half hours over four days to reach its verdicts.

The couple, from Eston, near Middlesbrough, were given bail until they are sentenced on September 8.

It was alleged during the trial that they had beat five different children with belts and a dog chain.

Mrs Whiles insisted there was “no truth” in child cruelty charges brought against her.

It was said that she kicked and slapped children and used weapons to hit them.

At one point during her evidence in the three-week trial, Mrs Whiles broke down in tears and questioning had to be stopped.

But she showed no emotion when the verdicts were delivered, while her husband sat with his head bowed.

Mr Whiles was declared unfit to stand trial shortly after it started, when he was assessed by psychiatrists, but remained in the dock throughout.

The jury found that he had carried out two indecent assaults and six separate acts of cruelty against four of the five accusers.

He was ground not guilty of a further seven charges of indecent assault, four of indecency, three of cruelty and one of actual bodily harm.

The jury could not reach a verdict on another count of indecent assault, and it will be left to lie on file.

Mr Whiles was diagnosed during the case with moderate severity Alzheimer’s disease, and ruled to be unfit to stand trial.

Judge Howard Crowson said he is likely to be given an absolute discharge because only three sentences are available – and the other two are considered inappropriate.

But the judge told his wife: "You must understand there is a risk of prison. I have to think about a prison sentence."