A GIRL said to be a victim of a child sex and witchcraft ring was shut in an oven, fridge and cupboard as well as had ‘spells’ put on her, jurors heard.

The child was one of a number of youngsters who allegedly suffered abuse - some of which was apparently filmed.

Police were alerted in 2020 when a man who knew the children reported what he had been told about what was said to have happened.

He today agreed that he had been “driven by his principles and conscience” to help the youngsters.

Seven men and four women are on trial at the High Court in Glasgow facing an indictment listing a total of 32 charges alleged to have occurred in the city between January 2010 and October 2020.

The accusations involve four children with allegations including rape, other sex offences, witchcraft and attempted murder.

The witness today told jurors how he had got to know the youngsters through his work.

The man and his wife ended up spending time in their company on different occasions.

The court heard the man first contacted police regarding concerns about the children around March 2020.

This was after an incident involving one of the girls when they were with her.

The man told how he soon began to document claims a number of the children went on to make about members of the group.

A series of emails - shown to the court today - were then sent by him to Police Scotland detailing accusations.

This included a claim one of the girls was "put in an oven" and closed in.

The same child was also allegedly padlocked in a fridge and shut in a cupboard with "beetles and spiders in it".

On hearing this read back to him in court, the man today said: "That is a nightmare in real-time. Listening to that, it is quite distressing."

In a further email, the same girl reportedly stated she "did not like it when the witches pointed their wands" at her and put "spells" on the child.

The man noted how two of the other children spoke of a group of "witches and wizards".

They were said to have been urged to join in on "occult practices".

The court also heard of an "Ouija board" being used to "talk to dead people and spirits with it".

An email mentioned claims of "rape nights", "dance and sex nights" as well as "dog killing nights".

A dog owned by one of the "coven" was among the animals said to have been cut and stabbed to death.

A further email shown in court described in graphic detail alleged sexual abuse involving some of the children.

One of the girls was also forced to eat a Pot Noodle without water in the "beastie house".

The same child was further later to have stated: “It is not nice when people laugh at you when you are hurting.”

Prosecutor Kath Harper asked the man if the children got upset when discussing any of the accusations.

The witness replied: “[One of them did] a couple of times about things that happened, but, the majority of occasions, it was just very much matter of fact… like replaying it in their minds, talking it over.”

Owens’ KC Gary Allan later questioned the witness.

The defence advocate put to him at one stage: “You were driven by your principles and conscience to do what you could to help them?”

The witness replied he did.

Mr Allan suggested there was “no hint” of allegations of abuse or witchcraft when he first got to know the children.

The man agreed there was not.

Iain Owens, 45, Elaine Lannery, 39, Lesley Williams, 41, Paul Brannan, 41, Marianne Gallagher, 38, Scott Forbes, 50, Barry Watson, 47, Mark Carr, 50, Richard Gachagan, 45, Leona Laing, 51, and John Clark, 47, deny the accusations they face.

The trial, before judge Lord Beckett, continues.