Star Hobson verdict in

[Lougle]

Savannah Brockhill Guilty of murder. Frankie Smith Guilty of causing or allowing death.

Brockhill has also, apparently palled up with her cousin and other family members/friends in jail and knowing how to fight as she does it seems unlikely she will get much push back from other female prisoners. That said I remember my Dad telling me about a bully “there’s always someone bigger and stronger than them, it just takes a while for them to come along sometimes” so let’s hope that’s true.

She didn't 'only' allow her child to be abused, she abused star too - when SB wasn't even present.

I didn’t say otherwise.

@Justcallmebebes

Sorry but nah she doesn't get a second chance at life in my opinion. Low IQ or not, she was absolutely vile to her young child, and allowed her partner to torture the child. And kill her. I don't feel sorry for her

This. I'm shocked at how quickly excuses and apologies are already being made for Smith. She was just as culpable and will hopefully spend a very, very long time in jail now, or at least long enough that when she is eventually released she will be way past child bearing age

Well, you obviously don’t understand what it means to have an IQ of 70. It doesn’t mean you’re just ‘a bit thick’

@Santahatesbraisedcabbage

Ss failed that poor bairn but surely way back a midwife should have know she hadn't enough capacity to raise a dc...

I agree

Brockhill being from a big, well known local family who don’t believe she’s done anything wrong.

How on earth…?

Both women deserve to rot in hell.

Couldn't agree more. Honestly can't get my head around these people that happily go along with their children being abused.

Yet again a child let down by social services. Apparently Brockhill posted a video on social media saying she was 'a psycho when it came to her girlfriend' so she wasn't exactly hiding who she was.

@Santahatesbraisedcabbage

Ss failed that poor bairn but surely way back a midwife should have know she hadn't enough capacity to raise a dc...

She had a big family doing her and I understand the grandparents were very respectable and involved. They probably hoped that would be enough

Around not doing

God the photo of that poor child’s face in the report. Heart breaking 😔

You don’t go to prison for being mean to your child or shouting at them. There is an endemic problem of shitty parenting in the UK and children being seen as second class citizens which needs to change.

However, FS wasn’t charged with being a crap parent. You think she should go to prison for that? Really?

@MmeDefrag

Brockhill being from a big, well known local family who don’t believe she’s done anything wrong.

How on earth…?

Yes, family members can be found arguing her innocence all over SM and shouting “Stay strong!” from the gallery when the trial was ongoing.

@Santahatesbraisedcabbage

Ss failed that poor bairn but surely way back a midwife should have know she hadn't enough capacity to raise a dc...

What can be done, though? Too low an IQ to raise a child - who makes that call, what is the solution? That sort of thing skirts too close to eugenics for some people. I actually agree with you btw

SS don't care as long as the kid is clothed and has a roof over their head.

@Echofallen

So tense waiting for the verdict, god knows how her family feel. Justice at last for little Star.

It was hardly likely they'd be found innocent, was it?

I think close monitoring of parents with learning difficulties by local services would be a start in preventing these kind of situations, but there is not the will to fund it.

@Bagelsandbrie

Having re read that I don’t understand why “causing death” isn’t a charge of manslaughter?

The offence of causing or allowing the death of a child was brought in because there were sadly many cases where a child was killed but they could not prove which of the adults in the house was responsible so no charges could be brought. It can have an equivalent sentence to manslaughter but the offence is that you may have been responsible for the child’s death either directly or indirectly (eg by not protecting them). They will have given her the charge they felt would get her put away for the longest for.

Sadly there are many cases where a baby has been left with severe brain injury where neither parent can be prosecuted as they don’t know which one did it (there is a heartbreaking episode of 24hours in police custody where this happened).

Poor little Star. She was just a baby.

@Itsnotover I know straightaway which posters have personal experience of LD / IQ and what it means for a person and those that don’t reading the responses on here.

I wouldn't like to have been on the jury. I know reading the court transcripts isn't the same as actually being there and hearing the evidence, but just reading it is bad enough. Hearing what that poor baby was subjected to, I imagine I would have wanted to find them both guilty of murder. But when I read the judges directions regarding what criteria needed to be met for each possible verdict, I realised it was nowhere near as clear cut as I thought.
I don't imagine any of the jury believes that the mother is innocent of her daughter's death, but she isn't required to prove that she is innocent, the prosecution has to prove she is guilty and "beyond all reasonable doubt" is a very high bar. And "Not guilty" doesn't mean "innocent" does it?
I think it must have been extremely difficult to make objective decisions about the points of law in such an awful case. I can well imagine head and heart being pulled in different directions. I hope the judge grants the jury the right not to serve again if they so wish, as happened to the jury in the other recent case and I hope they're able to access counselling etc if they need it.

@danni0509

Right verdict for Savannah. 100%

Frankie I’ve been on the fence. Not for murder or manslaughter, but for causing or allowing. To start with I thought she was as guilty as charged but my opinion has changed.

Neglect and cruelty, yes, but not so sure about causing or allowing since I’ve read more about the domestic abuse and her learning disability it’s muddied it for me, I’ve been undecided. I do actually feel sorry for frankie.

I’ve read the trial everyday on telegraph and Argus, David jagger has done a fab job reporting!

Anyway I’m pleased justice will be served for number 1 psycho bitch Savannah.

Sentencing will be tomorrow at 2pm.

I've been following the trial too and I agree with you. Brockhill came across in the trial updates as violent and over emotional. One of the updates mentioned that Smith had security round her in the dock as she was still terrified of Brockhill.

I feel so sorry for the grandparents who were caring for Star for a while but had to give her back to Smith. They said that Star's Easter egg from 2020 is still in their fridge as they were not allowed to see Star after Smith took her back.

RIP little Star. You will not be forgotten.

I can't understand how she was just, seemingly, left to it.

She had a lot of family support until Brockhill got involved, the family didn't like the way she treated Star or FS and were cut off.

The poor baby was staying with her great grandparents for months and thriving apparently.

@Itsnotover

You don’t go to prison for being mean to your child or shouting at them. There is an endemic problem of shitty parenting in the UK and children being seen as second class citizens which needs to change.

However, FS wasn’t charged with being a crap parent. You think she should go to prison for that? Really?

She has admitted to, and been found guilty of child cruelty, so, yes, in short.

Totally agree @AgeingDoc

@lemmein

FS held Star under water, she was seen dragging Star by the reigns, she ignored her cries when she was trying to climb the stairs (with broken legs!) - she made her stand at the wall for prolonged periods when SB wasn't even there. She was the one who manipulated SS, constantly putting them off to avoid questions about Stars obvious bruises.

I think she was very fortunate to not get a manslaughter verdict. Low IQ or not, she joined in with Stars abuse and even encouraged it by keeping SB informed of Stars behaviour. She didn't even ring for an ambulance straightaway!

100% the right verdict for SB though!

I’m finding it very hard to get passed this.

And I agree with @TheYearOfSmallThings about variations in IQ assessment. 70 seems remarkably low for someone who lived independently and evaded the social services so well.

I don’t understand why charges aren’t brought against the social workers or the state.

It feels like a very watered down kind of justice for that beautiful baby girl.

I completely agree with the verdict and glad some justice has been done for Star x

I'm so glad. I thought she would end up getting away with it if there wasn't enough evidence. Thank god, the evil pair of witches.