A mum who caused or allowed her 16-month-old daughter to be killed has been hit with a longer sentence as her case was appealed.
Star Hobson received "unsurvivable" and "utterly catastrophic" injuries in an attack that lasted some three hours. Savannah Brockhill, 28, was convicted of killing Star Hobson at her home in Keighley, West Yorkshire, in December.
Star's mum Frankie Smith, 20, was convicted of causing or allowing the toddler's death, but was cleared of murder and manslaughter. Smith was sentenced to eight years in prison, while Brockhill was jailed for life.
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The Attorney General Suella Braverman said the case was "tragic and extremely upsetting" and she believed Smith's sentence was "unduly lenient". The case was referred to the Court of Appeal amid public outcry over the offences and the injuries inflicted on the young child.
Star was taken to hospital from the flat where she lived with Smith in Wesley Place, Keighley, on September 22, 2020, but her injuries were "utterly catastrophic" and "unsurvivable", prosecutors told the two-month trial.
Star's dad, Jordan Hobson, has said he will never recover from losing "precious daughter".
In a statement following his daughter's death, the University of Sunderland student said: "The horrific death of my beautiful baby daughter has left me devastated and I will never recover from the callous and cruel way in which Star was taken from me. No sentence that a court can impose will ever bring back my precious daughter."
Jurors were told Smith's family and friends had growing fears about bruising they saw on the little girl in the months before she died. In each case, Brockhill and Smith managed to convince social workers the marks were accidental or that the complaints were made maliciously by people who did not like their relationship.
Sentencing Brockhill and Smith, judge Mrs Justice Lambert said Star's "short life was marked by neglect, cruelty and injury".
She was found to have suffered two brain injuries, numerous ribs fractures, the fracture and refracture of her leg, and a skull fracture when she died. At an appeal hearing today (Tuesday), Smith's sentence was extended to 12 years in prison, the PA news agency reports.
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