Man who starved step-daughter jailed

A man from Rochdale who deprived his step-daughter of food, causing her to become seriously unwell, has been sentenced, along with the child's mother who allowed the abuse to happen - they cannot be named due to legal reasons.

On 7 April 2014, a 32-year-old man admitted causing a child to suffer serious physical harm.

His partner and the child's mother, a 30-year-old woman, admitted allowing a child to suffer serious physical harm.

At Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court on Thursday 17 July 2014, he was sentenced to three years in prison and she was given a 15 month suspended prison sentence,.

On the evening of 23 April 2013 into the early hours of the following day, the victim, aged 10 at the time, was found collapsed and unresponsive on the bathroom floor of her then Rochdale home.

An ambulance was called and she was admitted to the Royal Oldham Hospital.

On arrival she was found to be severely malnourished and had a distended abdomen, consistent with a child who has not been fed. She also had gross nutritional deficiencies.

She told police how she had stopped being regularly fed, that she would be given food intermittently - including being fed raw potato peelings - and would not be able to eat with the rest of the family, claims that were verified by siblings.

Photographs were taken of the home address and a room believed to be the victim's showed no clothes or possessions. There were toys and electrical equipment for other children at the address.

The girl also disclosed how, shortly after being admitted to hospital, her mother had said that if she did not tell anyone about her home life then it would not happen again and she would get fed every day and would even be given "pudding and custard".

Detective Inspector Caroline Ward, said: "This is a tragic case and had the abuse continued much longer there is a very real possibility it could have cost this young girl her life.

"Thankfully it came to the attention of the emergency services in time for her to receive specialist and appropriate medical treatment. It also ensured we and our partners, including Rochdale children's services, could put structured safeguarding measures in place around her, which along with her determined spirit has helped her to make a remarkable recovery.

"There is no question that she was treated differently to her siblings, being deprived of food and affection over several months.

"To knowingly inflict such abuse on a young, innocent and vulnerable child defies belief and goes against the very basic instincts of human nature.

"She is now in a loving, caring and nurturing environment but the abuse she has suffered will most likely stay with her for the rest of her life."