‘Monster dad’ stable after cutting wrists

A man, dubbed by the community as "The Springs Monster" appears in the Springs Magistrate's Court on Thursday, 5 June 2014. The 36-year-old, accused of abusing his wife and five children and holding them captive, was denied bail. The matter was postponed to June 12 to give the man -- who cannot be named to protect the identity of his family -- an opportunity to apply for Legal Aid. 

The man accused of assaulting his wife and five children at the so-called “House of Horrors” in Springs is in a stable condition and will likely be returned to Modderbee Prison, just outside Springs, while awaiting his next court appearance on June 12.

The 36-year-old man slit his wrists in the holding cells at the Springs Magistrates Court this morning after being denied bail by Magistrate Roy le Roux.


A police source said that the man would be sent back to prison after being treated.
The source confirmed that the man had used a razor blade in the apparent suicide attempt, but could not say how he had come into possession of the instrument – likely the subject of heated investigation.
Far East Rand Hospital spokesman Hendrik Buda earlier confirmed the man had been taken to the hospital for further treatment, but was unable to provide an update of the man’s condition, as he had not been allowed access to the patient.

The man is facing charges of abuse of his five child, aged between 2 and 16, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, defeating the administration of justice in hiding his 11-year-old son from police, attempted murder of the boy and the repeated rape of his wife.
Magistrate Roy le Roux, in front of another packed gallery this morning, said he was not convinced that releasing the man on bail was in the “interests of justice”.
That the man had made a “false statement” in a sworn affidavit submitted to the court had much to do with Le Roux’s decision.

The man claimed that he had not withheld information from investigating officers, but Le Roux noted, by the defense’s own admission, that he had lied about the boy’s whereabouts when he hid him from police so they would not see the injuries allegedly inflicted on him by the accused.
Le Roux also agreed with police psychologist Brigadier Gerard Labuschagne’s testimony that the man was likely to intimidate witnesses if released, and believed that Springs residents were likely to take the law into their own hands.

Minutes before the suicide attempt, the man informed the court that he would require a Legal Aid representative for future court appearances.

Source- The Citizen