The evil mum of murdered tot Star Hobson may see her eight-year sentence increased as her case is referred for the Court of Appeal to decide whether it was unduly lenient.
The Attorney General, Rt Hon Suella Braverman QC MP, has referred the sentence of Frankie Smith to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme.
Smith was convicted of causing or allowing the death of her 16-month-old daughter who was murdered by Smith’s partner, Savannah Brockhill, on 22 September 2020, after a campaign of abuse.
Speaking about the case, the Attorney General said: “This is a tragic and extremely upsetting case and my thoughts are with all those who loved Star Hobson. This vulnerable and innocent child was subjected to continued physical abuse, and her mother, Frankie Smith, allowed it to happen.
“This case will have caused upset to anyone who read about it, but my job is to decide if a sentence appears to be too low based solely on the facts of the case.
“I have carefully considered the details of this case, and I concluded that I can refer Frankie Smith’s sentence to the Court of Appeal as I believe it is unduly lenient.
“However, I have concluded that I cannot refer Savannah Brockhill’s sentence. I can only challenge a sentence if it is not just lenient but unduly so, such that the sentencing judge made a gross error or imposed a sentence outside the range of sentences reasonably available in the circumstances of the offence. The threshold is a high one, and the test was not met in this case.
“Savannah Brockhill was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 25 years before being considered for parole. As the Sentencing Judge remarked, 25 years is a minimum and she may serve longer. In my opinion, that sentence is not unduly lenient.”
Brockhill, 28, and Smith, 20, were sentenced at Bradford Crown Court last month, a fortnight after Emma Tustin and Thomas Hughes were jailed for killing six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes in similar circumstances.
Like Smith, their cases were also referred to the Court of Appeal by the Attorney General amid public outcry over the offences and the injuries inflicted on their young and vulnerable victim.
Star was taken to hospital from the flat where she lived with Smith in Wesley Place, Keighley, on September 22, 2020. Her injuries were "utterly catastrophic" and "unsurvivable", prosecutors told the two-month trial.
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.
A date for the Court of Appeal hearing has not yet been confirmed.
It comes after Brockhill, who tortured and murdered the little one, is alleged to have told horrified fellow inmates: “I’ve buried three more babies”.
A former prison pal said Brockhill, 28, repulsed even hardened convicts with the sick apparent joke just days ago.
Shocked Amy Louise Cowan, who was locked up with Brockhill at HMP Styal in Cheshire until this week, told the Sunday People : “Savannah is cold and callous. I never once saw her cry.”
Amy, 29, was cleaning Brockhill’s wing on New Year’s Day when she claims she heard the chilling words.
She said: “Savannah said that there were three more babies buried in a field behind her house.”
Amy added: “She said she was sick of inmates kicking down her door and spitting in her food and that she didn’t care any more.”
