A HUSBAND and wife are facing jail after a jury convicted them of repeated cruelty to a child.

Timothy and Paula Watson, from Craylands Square, Swanscombe, near Dartford, fled to Zeebrugge in Belgium last year when they were due to stand trial.

They were extradited to this country on January 27 and have been held in custody since.

Maidstone Crown Court heard that the victim suffered physical abuse at the hands of Timothy Watson, a 35-year-old lorry driver, and his wife, aged 36, over a long period.

Deborah Charles, prosecuting, said the case came about because in September 2003 the child’s school contacted Social Services about bruising on the victim’s body.

Then aged nine, the child was seen by police and interviewed and said bruises on the wrist were caused by Paula Watson using a saucepan.

The child had another bruise on the leg, which was said to be caused by Timothy Watson. There was hitting between February 2001 and September 2003. Paula Watson would also hit the youngster.

The victim, now aged 12, described how Paula Watson would take her rings off before hitting, so that she did not leave marks. Sometimes the victim would be hit with slippers.

The Watsons were arrested in October 2003. Timothy Watson denied hitting the victim and claimed it was made up.

Witnesses told of seeing some of the physical abuse. It included making the youngster put soap in the mouth as a punishment. The victim was ordered to stand still and was hit upon moving. Paula Watson would hit the child with a piece of wood or a stick. Paula Watson would also throw shoes at the child.

Timothy Watson was interviewed again in April 2004, when he claimed that he only hit the youngster once and said it was a tap. Paula Watson denied hitting the child at all. Timothy Watson denied five charges of cruelty to a child and Paula Watson denied four charges.

The jury of seven women and five men convicted them of all charges after deliberating for less than an hour.

Richard Livingstone, for the husband, said while it was a serious case it was not at the top end, where bones were broken.

Adjourning sentence until May 5, Judge John McDonald, QC, said: “These are difficult cases to sentence. I am considering reasonably substantial custody for both defendants.”