House of Horror mastermind Tania Staker jailed for 10 years

A WOMAN who masterminded a cruel regime of starvation "beyond comprehension" against five children inside a Parafield Gardens house has been jailed for 10 years.

TANIA Staker felt so threatened by five children she instigated a nightmarish regime of starvation and brutality.

Those children were the progeny of her then partner, Luke Armistead, and another woman who also lived with Staker in a Parafield Gardens house.

In one of the state's worst cases of child neglect, the children were subjected to a jealousy-fuelled regime between February and June 2008.

Yesterday, Supreme Court Justice Kevin Duggan jailed Staker for 10 years. He also jailed Luke Armistead, 38, the then partner of the children's mother.

Michael Quinlivan, 27, and another man, Robert Armistead, 41 were jailed for nine years.

"Each of you, along with other adults who were occupants of the house, embarked on a common purpose of treating the children in a particularly cruel way, by subjecting them to a daily routine of punishment," Justice Duggan said.

He said Staker, 36, "played a more significant role" masterminding the cruel regime because the children, then aged between 4-7, "threatened" her relationship with Luke Armistead.

"It would appear to a certain extent this arose from jealousy," Justice Duggan said.

"In your own statement to (a psychologist) you said that you came to hate and resent (the children's mother) and her children while they were living with you."

Previously, lawyers for Staker - a mother of 14 - had said she "wanted them gone" and thought if she treated them badly they would leave.

Justice Duggan said the children's mother - who was previously jailed for six years and gave evidence against Staker and the men - was "not far behind (Staker's) culpability".

"For some reason she was prepared to inflict suffering on her own children, a fact which she has plainly admitted."

Each of the children were beaten, starved, choked and fed only the scraps left over after the other 16 children in the house had eaten a share of hot chips or noodles.

"The adults were vigilant to ensure that they were prevented from eating more."

He said the children suffered abuse "beyond comprehension".

"It reached a point where the children were made to stand against a wall without moving   ... they were made to stand in the same position from morning until night."

Justice Duggan said the cruelty came unstuck only because a crisis arose.

"There is not the slightest doubt that the effect of depriving the children of adequate food would have been apparent to anyone living in this household."

The squalid house was investigated when a five-year-old boy collapsed and was taken to hospital suffering severe hypothermia. He and another child weighed lighter than 97 per cent of children their age, while each of the children had other injuries, scabies and were suffering from malnutrition.

"It is comforting to know that the children were nursed back to physical health through the expert care which they received," Justice Duggan said.

"However, the potential for lasting psychological harm is not difficult to imagine."

The children had come to SA from Victoria, where local media had dubbed their home the "house of horrors".

A Families SA spokesman yesterday said the agency acted as soon as they were notified about their welfare.

He said he could not comment on the children's current whereabouts, except to say they were now "nurtured and supported by the carers that Families SA has arranged for them".

The spokesman said protocols were introduced in 2009 to allow better sharing of information between government departments.

"The purpose of the protocol is to outline procedures on how the Commonwealth and child protection agencies can share information in order to provide more responsive care and protection services to children," the spokesman said.

Staker, who pleaded guilty on the first day of the trial to two counts of aggravated endangering life and three counts of aggravated creating a risk of serious harm prior to trial, will be eligible for parole after serving six years and eight months.

Each of the men, who were found guilty of the same offences, will be eligible for parole after serving six years.

Staker and Quinlivan have each lodged appeals against their convictions.