Escaping Britain's Most Evil MUM - Christopher Spry Tells His Heart-Breaking Story

Added: Aug 20, 2023

Christopher was born in Cheltenham in 1988 to parents who struggled with substance abuse. From a young age, he experienced a chaotic and neglectful environment, with no carpets and peeling paint on the walls. At the age of three, his parents considered putting him up for adoption, and his mother ended up in the hospital due to her heroin addiction. Through some friends, Christopher's mother discovered Eunice Spry, who offered private fostering arrangements. Initially, Christopher and his siblings were excited about the new environment. Eunice seemed caring and provided them with toys, clothes, and food. However, things quickly took a dark turn. The turning point came when a chocolate bar went missing, and Eunice became enraged, demanding to know who took it. When no one confessed, she subjected Christopher and his siblings to a brutal beating, using a chair leg. This marked the beginning of a chain of events that escalated the abuse. Eunice became obsessed with Japanese torture methods and began subjecting Christopher and his siblings to physical and psychological abuse. They were forced to run up and down stairs all night, sit in invisible chairs against the wall, and endure sleep deprivation. Eunice also withheld food, leading to extreme starvation. Christopher and his sister Victoria were locked in a room with only a slice of bread a week and water every two days. The abuse became normalized in Christopher's mind, as Eunice manipulated him into believing that it was God's way of ridding them of demons. Christopher prayed every night, thanking God for putting him in Eunice's care. However, as he grew older, he began to realize that the abuse was not right. Despite the abuse, Christopher and his siblings felt a sense of loyalty and protection towards Eunice. They even defended her when social services made occasional visits. It was only when they reached their late teens that they started to question the situation and cooperate with the police investigation. Eunice used various methods of torture, including drowning. She would hold Christopher and his siblings underwater, waiting for them to release their breath before continuing to hold them down. Christopher believes that she came close to killing him on several occasions. The abuse also involved physical beatings, such as hitting them with heavy objects and burning their hands on hot stoves. Christopher recalls a particularly traumatic incident when he was hit on the back of the head with a lead weight, causing him to black out. Throughout the abuse, Christopher and his sister Aloma took care of each other's injuries. They had to continue running the farm they lived on, despite their broken bones and scars. Eunice's manipulation and fear tactics kept them under her control for a long time. Christopher reveals that Eunice's real daughter, Judith, also participated in the abuse, although not to the same extent as Eunice. He questions whether Judith was coerced or pressured into joining in or if she willingly participated. Christopher acknowledges that he feels conflicted about Judith's involvement, as she had opportunities to speak out against the abuse but chose not to. The conversation then turns to a trip the family took to Florida, where Christopher and his siblings were not abused. Christopher reflects on the strange contrast between the abuse they experienced at home and the seemingly normal and enjoyable time they had in Florida. He speculates that they may have been sexually abused during that trip, as there were parties at the villa and they were heavily drugged. The abuse eventually came to light when Christopher's sister, Victoria, started attending church covered in fresh scars. Concerned church members confronted her and she eventually broke down and revealed some of the abuse. The police were called, and Victoria was placed in a safe house. Christopher, on the other hand, ran away but was eventually found and brought back to Eunice's parents' house. Eunice was arrested and charged with multiple counts of abuse. Christopher describes the intense emotions he felt during the court case, including doubt and anger. He recalls feeling like he was being personally attacked during cross-examination and wanting to lash out at the defense. Eunice eventually pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to 14 years in prison, which was later reduced to 12 years on appeal. Throughout the podcast, Christopher discusses the impact of the abuse on his mental health and the challenges he faced in rebuilding his life. He also touches on his complicated relationship with his biological parents, who re-entered his life after Eunice's arrest. Christopher expresses anger and resentment towards them for not protecting him and his siblings, but also acknowledges that addiction may have played a role in their absence. Christopher concludes by discussing the therapeutic aspect of writing his book, "Damaged," and the subsequent financial success he achieved. He reflects on the irony of his abusive past leading to financial gain and acknowledges the sad reality that his parents' drug use was normalized in his upbringing.