Two Brothers Go to Prison for Lies and Crimes

May 13, 2026, 20:14
UKSociety

Introduction

John Siddell and his brother James Siddell are going to prison. They lied to the court about John's health.

Main Body

John Siddell hurt three children between 2018 and 2021. He and James lied to the police. They said John was very sick. They said he could not speak or walk. But the police found videos on the internet. In the videos, John walked and talked. He went to sports games and clubs. He was not sick. John's lawyers said he has some health problems. But the judge said the brothers lied on purpose. They wanted to stop the trial.

Conclusion

John Siddell must stay in prison for 15 years. James Siddell must stay in prison for 2 years and 9 months.

Learning

💡 The Power of 'NOT'

In this story, we see how to change a sentence from Yes to No. This is a key step for A2 learners to describe facts.

How it works: We use was not or could not to show something is false.

  • The Lie: He was sick. →\rightarrow The Truth: He was not sick.
  • The Lie: He could walk. →\rightarrow The Truth: He could not walk.

🕒 Time Jump: Past Tense

Notice how the words change when the story happened in the past. We don't say "go," we say "went."

  • Now: He goes to a club.
  • Then: He went to a club.

🔑 Word Pair: Purpose

On purpose = You wanted to do it. It was not an accident.

Example: The brothers lied on purpose to stop the trial.

Vocabulary Learning

prison
A place where people are kept as punishment.
Example:He will spend five years in prison.
court
A place where judges hear cases.
Example:The judge will decide in the court.
health
The state of being physically and mentally well.
Example:She has good health.
children
Young people who are not yet adults.
Example:The children played in the park.
police
People who enforce the law.
Example:The police stopped the car.
videos
Short films that can be watched online.
Example:She watched a funny video.
internet
A worldwide network of computers for sharing information.
Example:He uses the internet to search.
walk
To move by putting one foot in front of the other.
Example:They go for a walk every morning.
talk
To speak with someone.
Example:They will talk about the plan.
sports
Physical activities that involve competition.
Example:He likes sports like football.
lawyer
A person who gives legal advice.
Example:The lawyer explained the rules.
judge
A person who decides cases in court.
Example:The judge gave a verdict.
trial
A formal examination of evidence in court.
Example:The trial lasted two days.
stay
To remain in a place.
Example:He will stay in the city.
years
Units of time, twelve months each.
Example:She has lived there for five years.
months
Units of time, about thirty days each.
Example:The project will take six months.
hurt
To cause pain or injury.
Example:He hurt his arm falling.
sick
Not feeling well or ill.
Example:She was sick and stayed home.
stop
To cease doing something.
Example:They decided to stop the meeting.
purpose
The reason for doing something.
Example:The purpose of the trip is learning.
must
An obligation or requirement.
Example:You must finish your homework.
go
To move from one place to another.
Example:They will go to the store.
lied
To say something false.
Example:He lied about his age.
said
To speak or express.
Example:She said hello.