RIP Baby Star Hobson

I think 8 years is far too lenient. As a mother she should have been protecting her child. I hope this sentence is sent to appeal. As another poster has already said she may well be out in 4 years.

And I spelled her name wrong, too!

Poor little Stat.
Let down in her life, and after death.
8 years..

I’m assuming, but don’t know, that she only got 8 years because of her extremely low IQ. I was never in social work, or the police, nor am I a lawyer, and so I don’t know why a very low IQ would qualify her for a lower sentence, but possibly it would. Given that she’ll most likely only serve 4 years, I do feel this sentence is unduly lenient.
When I think of the number of people who would love to adopt a baby, I feel so saddened that baby Star wasn’t removed and put up for adoption. I have an adopted grandchild and that child is part of a loving, extended family. Baby Star deserved that too. As did Arthur. And all the other children who die at the hands of their parents or caregivers.

Kali2

To my mind, the mother should get as long a sentence as her partner.

Might it be referred to the Atorney General as she could have got 14 years apparently

Kali2 she's got to live through the next 8 years yet ! IF ?

The lecturer was unlikely to use the term 'lower classes' but was pointing out that assumptions must not be made based on income levels, standard of housing etc. There is an excellent book on this subject, written by Erin Pizzey and called "Scream quietly or the neighbours will hear". This was about general assumptions that domestic violence only happened in "certain types of homes".

To my mind, the mother should get as long a sentence as her partner.

tickingbird

*Callistemon*. I doubt Brockhill will need to worry too much in prison. Judging from the video of her hitting that punchbag in the gym, she’d be more than capable of defending herself. I just hope they treat her with the contempt she deserves.

There are more ways of killing a cat than choking it with cream…….They will get to her….

tickingbird

*Doodledog*. I agree the term lower classes wouldn’t have been used but that was the general gist and I was being called into the dentist’s surgery as I was typing that on my phone. However, it is true and very similar has been said on other threads only a week or so ago by members of this site.

I don't know about you, but I take much that is written on GN with a pinch of salt.

Where were the social services and what were they thinking when there were so many alerts? Life should be given to both the mother[ 8 years is a farce] and her partner. How many more poor vulnerable children have to suffer before something is done.

I hope the beasts aren't segregated " for their own safety " ! Leave them to the inmates to sort out.

Eliminate these monsters from society. Who'd miss them ?

Callistemon. I doubt Brockhill will need to worry too much in prison. Judging from the video of her hitting that punchbag in the gym, she’d be more than capable of defending herself. I just hope they treat her with the contempt she deserves.

Doodledog. I agree the term lower classes wouldn’t have been used but that was the general gist and I was being called into the dentist’s surgery as I was typing that on my phone. However, it is true and very similar has been said on other threads only a week or so ago by members of this site.

Do you think families such as these would attend Sure Start Centres, which are mentioned on here? Or would they just refuse any engagement with professionals? To cover up their crimes.

Nannee49

Absolutely agree with all who say a drastic overhaul is urgently needed. And surely there should be a change in the legal system regarding the penalties the vile perpetrators should face?
I'm not suggesting the return of capital punishment but maybe another, more severe tier to reflect the horror of their crimes?

I would gladly vote for capital punishment in a case like this, how could anyone be so wicked, using a child as punchbag. Hanging is too good, burn the witch!.

Sure Start was universally admired and I saw lives improved by the involvement of families.

Cameron’s austerity was unnecessary. Over the past 11 years every public service has been cut to the bone. We are a wealthy country. We can afford to invest in early years. We should do so

I agree, Iam64 but the children being abused, tortured and murdered are often hidden away, the parents are not the type to come forward for help and support.

Sarnia

tickingbird

Brockhill laughs as she gets 25 years for murdering Star OMG what an utterly vile individual.

She won't find it so amusing when the inmates form a welcoming committee for her.

I do hope she'll be laughing the other side of her face very soon. However, she must have spent time inside on remand already.

I'm not a naturally violent person but these crimes against innocent babies and children sicken me.

There was no evidence before the Court that neighbours heard or reported Star screaming. That isn’t to say the little child wasn’t screaming or that neighbours didn’t hear the sound of violent physical and emotional abuse from the home.

I’m another who doesn’t believe a lecturer on a social work degree spoke in the way tickingbird’s friend’s daughter claims. This report sounds like the kind of misrepresentation of comments here that don’t suit the narrative.

I posted earlier the consistent number of two children a week dying because of parental abuse or neglect, over many years. To clarify - yes that confirms children being killed by carers happens whichever govt is in power. I haven’t seen anyone suggesting otherwise.

Trisher sets out accurately what happened when the Blair government came into power. Every Child Matters did not introduce box ticking, far from it. The Orange book set out clearly the factors to be covered in assessment. There was investment in early years. Sure Start was universally admired and I saw lives improved by the involvement of families.

Cameron’s austerity was unnecessary. Over the past 11 years every public service has been cut to the bone. We are a wealthy country. We can afford to invest in early years. We should do so

tickingbird

^Brockhill laughs as she gets 25 years for murdering Star^ OMG what an utterly vile individual.

She won't find it so amusing when the inmates form a welcoming committee for her.

tickingbird

*I doubt very much if your friend's daughter was told that by any decent lecturer, using those words. It's your friend's daughter's interpretation*. Really growstuff? You weren’t there so you can doubt all you like, in much the same way I ‘doubt’ much of what’s claimed on these threads.

What 'claims' do you doubt, tickingbird?

I agree with growstuff that it is highly unlikely that a qualified lecturer would use the term 'lower classes' or say that they didn't have the same standards (as whom?). Both 'lower classes' and 'standards' are very vague terms that are meaningless in any academic context, and that sort of generalisation is, again, most unlikely to be used in a lecture, particularly one given by someone who has had a career in social work.

I can imagine there being a caution to the students against imposing their cultural norms onto clients and making assumptions about them based on whether or not theirs are the same, and I think that makes sense.

Whether someone is in their dressing gown at lunchtime or not is not an indicator of the likelihood that they will abuse their children, and nor is the tidiness of their house. Again, that is not the same thing as saying, in fact or implication as 'the lower classes have different standards'.

Brockhill laughs as she gets 25 years for murdering Star OMG what an utterly vile individual.

How can the neighbours not have heard the baby's screams?

They probably did and they may have reported hearing those screams…….

Beautiful words Chestnut