How can parents do this?

I cannot move past this after reading about it online.
The level of evil and horror is traumatising. I cannot sleep at night without seeing this tragic, helpless, defenceless little boy and all he suffered at the hands of these evil monsters.
Yes, they will go through it in jail, but it won't take away this dear little boy's terrible suffering or bring him back from the horrifying death he suffered at just 6 years old, his paralysing fear or his inexplicable foresight of his own death at the hands of those he loved and trusted

No way I feel prison is enough! I’m not a vindictive person but, as in this case, I become evil. I do hope they’ll have some of their own medicine dished out, which in any case, would only be a fraction of what they deserve!

Salt is one of the least harmful things which could be applied in prison kitchens.

Yes nanny. That child was helpless. He had no chance with older, stronger bullies. I hope those two encounter older, stronger bullies who make them feel helpless. Yes I am vindictive in such cases.

Kate :The father was so weak willed and between him and his girl-friend they were monsters to that child. Time for them to suffer now and I know many say nothing bad happens in prisons but just don't be too sure. I have worked with ex offenders and some of the things I heard from them was quite awful. I do not like bullying for any vulnerable in mate but those who deserve it like those two monsters I would not care.

I agree nanny. This 'father' told someone that the previous day he had 'gone to town' on Arthur. That doesn't bear thinking about. I hope someone goes to town on him.

With them both in prison I hope they get what is coming to them. I hope the in mates that are working on kitchen duties and who serve up the food fill every meal they get with salt so they can hardly eat it. That is what they fed to that poor child.
In mates in prison can be nasty and it will be them that work the kitchens that can do that to them so hopefully it will happen. Any thing else let the scumbags rot in hell they deserve nothing less.

I don't think prison is enough. They get fed, watch TV, get visits. Can Arthur do that? I hope they both suffer badly. I hope they get a taste of their own medicine.

I agree with Urms, whole life or very very long prison sentences, deprived of a full life will have to suffice.
Hoping that others behave like depraved animals to punish depraved animals is not the way a civilised nation should think.

Beswitched ✅

I don’t think I’m being charitable GSM to be honest. I think loss of liberty for life or a huge number of years must be an awful deprivation. We need tougher sentences for these heinous crimes. We don’t hang the perpetrators so harsh sentencing has to be just that, otherwise what’s the point?

I agree with Urmstongran. The behaviour of this pair was shocking and depraved and they deserve long long sentences.

But hoping other people also behave in a similar fashion towards them is not something I'm comfortable with.

I'm afraid I can't be that charitable Urms. After what they did, no amount of suffering is enough. They will probably end up in solitary confinement but other prisoners still find ways - and I hope they do.

I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels uncomfortable with ‘I hope they suffer in prison’ comments. Incarceration for life (as say Rose West or the late Myra Hindley) is, in my opinion, suitable punishment. Not attacks by inmates.

His teacher apparently reported the family to Social Services because he or she was so concerned about Arthur.
Then came lockdown; schools were kept open for children of key workers and vulnerable children but how many vulnerable children never attended because they parents didn't have to send them? How many suffered but haven't died?

There were alarm bells sounding but having a cursory glance at a child on a day which was presumably pre-arranged was not enough.
Most social workers do a wonderful, often harrowing, job within the constraints of the law but this one failed to step in and protect this little boy, as did the police involved.

I hope the monstrous step-mother never has another second's peace during her life in prison and hope that her life in prison will be long.
The same goes for the monster of a father.

I think the father is every bit to blame as the wicked step mother, he did not protect his baby he is a murderer every bit as much as her I hope they both get bruised in prison, how can I even think that, I don’t know but I do hope they get some of their own medicine it will not make up for anything but I want them to be uncomfortable and fearful I want them to feel safer in isolation than with the other prisoners in other words I want them to suffer a fraction of what that little mite suffered
I don’t know what I feel about SS I know they have huge case load and massive amount of reports to write up ( often i their own time) but I do believe the whole service needs a massive shake up The police too missed all the pleas for help and the clues from the family A National disgrace

I am sorry to add a political addition but the police, fire, NHS (especially the mental health section) have been decimated by this government, they have been pulped with numbers cut They are not able to do the job they are needed to do

This little lad was failed by so many it is heart wrenching why oh why did they keep him if they didn’t want him when other family members did

Jaffacake2

Sadly this little boy was lost in the lockdown and was unable to be in school where he may have been able to say to teachers,dinner ladies or other children what his life was like. There have probably been hundreds of children who have been abused through lockdown because they were invisible.
It would be easy to blame social services for having made a mistake with closing the case. But parents are devious and manipulative. Apparently Arthur was happy on that day when they visited. He was allowed to play with his toys in the garden and the father said he had been fighting with another child which caused the bruises. They presented a completely different picture to the reality of his sad life.
But what about the others who witnessed the treatment of the child or heard his screaming ? Neighbours,other relatives ? There should be a community response to safeguarding children. We can all be their voice to try and protect them. Too many people rely solely on professional services rather than get involved themselves.

But social workers should surely be trained to spot things like this. They failed Arthur very badly.

Meanwhile some other social worker is probably making another couple jump through ridiculous hoops in order to adopt a baby. My cousin was told she couldn't change anything her house, even the colour of the walls without informing the social worker when she was going through the adoption process.

The whole system has become skewed.

I know. I see young drugged up parents pushing babies in prams around and it is so wrong.
Even the most unfit parents seem to be encouraged nowadays to keep their babies, and children are growing up in dreadful situations or being passed around from foster home to foster home. Because the parents have rights.

It is because of political correctness I’m afraid. People’s rights supersede a child’s rights, clearly. It makes me sick to the stomach.

It would be easy to blame social services for having made a mistake with closing the case

Well I blame them Jaffacake. When they visited and saw Arthur in the garden, they lifted his tee shirt and just noted an ‘old yellowing bruise’ in the centre of his back. They missed the horrendous injury on his left shoulder blade. When asked in Court how they had missed that injury from a photograph taken only the day before they said they were shocked and didn’t know.

I do have to wonder if nowadays, ‘keeping families together’ with some supervision, is the cheaper financial option and that’s why it is so ubiquitous?

We would GSM If only. Breaks my heart.

Not ridiculous at all Kate. It must be even more difficult if you live not far away and I know that if they had left him on your doorstep you would have given him the best life ever.

I know this is a ridiculous thing to say but we're not far from them. Leave him on our doorstep if you don't want him.

I know years ago children were taken from their parents for spurious reasons and that was very wrong.

But the pendulum seems to have swung too far now, and the rights of parents seem to totally supercede the rights of innocent babies. There are many children who would be far better off adopted by the many loving people longing to offer a secure and happy home to a child.

V3ra

Sentencing will be tomorrow.
She's been convicted of murder and he's been convicted of manslaughter.

He’s equally as bad if not worse. He dumped that boy on her and she didn’t want him. She told him to take him to his mothers and he wouldn’t. She’ll get the long sentence but he is equally guilty if not more so as it was his child. That little child had no chance with a murderer for a real mother and this specimen for a father.