The eight-year jail sentence handed to Frankie Smith for causing or allowing the death of her toddler daughter Star Hobson in Keighley has been referred to the Court of Appeal by the Attorney General.
Suella Braverman said the case was “tragic and extremely upsetting” and she believes Smith’s sentence was “unduly lenient”.
But she said she could not recommend any increase to the sentence imposed on Savannah Brockhill, Smith’s former partner who was handed a life term with a minimum of 25 years in prison.
The Attorney General said: “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.”
Keighley MP Robbie Moore welcomed the decision. He said: “I am very pleased that following my letter calling for a review, the Attorney General has decided to refer the sentence of Frankie Smith to the Court of Appeals.
"Frankie Smith oversaw and allowed the vile treatment of her daughter Star Hobson which lead to her tragic death. Her actions were despicable, vile and evil. It is incomprehensible how a mother could have treated her daughter with such contempt. In my opinion the sentence of eight years which the judge issued went nowhere near enough matching the horrendous crime, and I will follow the developments in the Court of Appeal very closely.
"It is however disappointing that the sentence of Savannah Brockhill will not also be reviewed. Brockhill’s wicked actions, that included repeatedly beating baby Star so hard that it caused internal bleeding and her death, in my opinion deserves a much tougher sentence that the 25 years imprisonment she received.”
