Star Hobson: Attorney General asked to review Mum's eight year prison sentence

16 December 2021, 15:58

The prison sentences handed to the mother of Star Hobson may be reviewed after a request was sent to the Attorney General to look into "the unduly lenient sentence".

Health minister Gillian Keegan said the murder of the 16-month-old at the hands of bouncer and security guard Savannah Brockhill - who was her mother Frankie Smith's partner - was "shocking" and "quite unbelievable".

Ms Keegan suggested Attorney General Suella Braverman could send the case to the Court of Appeal for the sentence to be reviewed.

Ms Keegan told Nick Ferrari at Breakfast that it "doesn't sound like" justice that Smith, 20, had been handed a jail term of just eight years.

She added: "It doesn't sound enough, as a human being, it doesn't sound enough."

Ms Keegan said: "It's a shocking, shocking case - I mean, it's quite unbelievable. And also the case of poor Arthur (Labinjo-Hughes) as well. I mean, it's just unbelievable, obviously the judge and the jury have made their... they recently passed the sentence but I guess the Attorney General has that power as well. So I don't know..."

Read more: 'Scarred for life' by abuse of Star Hobson, says babysitter of tragic murdered toddler

Read more: Woman laughs before being jailed for life over 'cruel' murder of one-year-old Star Hobson

Nick Ferrari hears from Star Hobson's babysitter

She added: "It doesn't fit within my remit but it fits within hers (the Attorney General's), so I'm sure that she'll be having those conversations."

The babysitter who raised concerns about murdered toddler Star Hobson told LBC the sentence handed to Smith was "ridiculous".

“I don’t think Frankie has been given enough time. It’s ridiculous for the part she played and especially as baby Star’s mother," Hollie Jones said.

“I’m very disappointed about the sentencing."

Read more: Star Hobson: The five warning signs social services had to protect tragic one-year-old

Read more: Star, 1, murdered by mum's partner after 'shambolic' social services response

David Fawcett - 'She's a baby forever, she's frozen in time'

Mrs Justice Lambert said during the sentencing of the pair, that Star lost half the blood in her body after a fatal punch or kick damaged her internal organs.

Adding: "The level of force required to inflict these injuries must have been massive - similar to those forces associated with a road traffic accident.

A spokesperson for the Attorney General's Office said: "We have received a request for these sentences to be considered under the unduly lenient sentence (ULS) scheme.

"The law officers have 28 days from sentencing to consider the case and make a decision."

Read more: Government 'not satisfied' with sentences for 'appalling' Arthur Labinjo-Hughes murder

Read more: Tustin and Hughes 'must never see light of day', says Arthur Labinjo-Hughes grandfather

David Fawcett - Brockhill's behaviour in court

The killing of Star and details of how she was subjected to months of assaults and psychological harm have caused a national outcry, especially as the trial came so soon after the case of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes.

The Attorney General's office has already said it will review the sentence of Arthur's stepmother, Emma Tustin, 32, who was jailed for life with a minimum term of 29 years at Coventry Crown Court on Friday after being found guilty of the Solihull six-year-old's murder.

The sentence of the youngster's father, Thomas Hughes, 29, who was jailed for 21 years for manslaughter, will also be looked at.