This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/south_yorkshire/7479006.stm
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 3 | Version 4 |
---|---|
Inquiry after child's pub death | Inquiry after child's pub death |
(40 minutes later) | |
An inquiry has been launched by council officials into the circumstances surrounding the death of a three-year-old who was left to starve. | An inquiry has been launched by council officials into the circumstances surrounding the death of a three-year-old who was left to starve. |
Tiffany Wright was neglected and left in what prosecutors called "filth and squalor" by her mother and stepfather in the Sheffield pub they ran. | Tiffany Wright was neglected and left in what prosecutors called "filth and squalor" by her mother and stepfather in the Sheffield pub they ran. |
Sabrina Hirst, 22, was jailed for 12 years for manslaughter. Robert Hirst, 44, got five years for child cruelty. | Sabrina Hirst, 22, was jailed for 12 years for manslaughter. Robert Hirst, 44, got five years for child cruelty. |
A serious case review is being carried out by the city's children's board. | |
Sheffield Crown Court heard Tiffany's decomposing body was found in an insect-infested room in the Scarbrough Arms pub in Upperthorpe, Sheffield, in September last year. | Sheffield Crown Court heard Tiffany's decomposing body was found in an insect-infested room in the Scarbrough Arms pub in Upperthorpe, Sheffield, in September last year. |
Abject squalor | Abject squalor |
A pathologist said the child had been dead for between two or three days. | A pathologist said the child had been dead for between two or three days. |
Post-mortem tests showed she had not eaten or drunk anything for at least 20 hours. | Post-mortem tests showed she had not eaten or drunk anything for at least 20 hours. |
The youngster, had died as a result of bronchial pneumonia which was a direct result of malnutrition, the court was told. | The youngster, had died as a result of bronchial pneumonia which was a direct result of malnutrition, the court was told. |
CCTV footage found at the pub showed Sabrina Hirst working in the bar as normal days before her daughter died. | CCTV footage found at the pub showed Sabrina Hirst working in the bar as normal days before her daughter died. |
Sabrina Hirst's barrister told the judge, Alan Goldsack, that even by his client's version of events the sick child had been last checked at 0700 GMT on Friday 7 September - she was discovered dead in the early hours of the following Sunday. | Sabrina Hirst's barrister told the judge, Alan Goldsack, that even by his client's version of events the sick child had been last checked at 0700 GMT on Friday 7 September - she was discovered dead in the early hours of the following Sunday. |
The court heard the family lived above the pub and Tiffany was raised in "abject squalor and degradation". | The court heard the family lived above the pub and Tiffany was raised in "abject squalor and degradation". |
In a statement, Alan Jones of the Safeguarding Children Board said: "We are deeply saddened by the death of this child and that she did not benefit from the support services available to Sheffield children. | In a statement, Alan Jones of the Safeguarding Children Board said: "We are deeply saddened by the death of this child and that she did not benefit from the support services available to Sheffield children. |
'Shocking' details | 'Shocking' details |
"The details of the court case and the severity of the sentences on the parents indicate that this case of neglect is exceptional and particularly shocking. | "The details of the court case and the severity of the sentences on the parents indicate that this case of neglect is exceptional and particularly shocking. |
"We always try to take effective action when a child is thought to be at risk and the organisations in Sheffield work together to make sure that children remain safe in our city. | "We always try to take effective action when a child is thought to be at risk and the organisations in Sheffield work together to make sure that children remain safe in our city. |
"It is particularly difficult for staff to do this when the harm by parents is deliberate and they are evasive, untruthful and manipulative." | "It is particularly difficult for staff to do this when the harm by parents is deliberate and they are evasive, untruthful and manipulative." |
He said family friends and neighbours were sometimes more aware of the risks to a child than the authorities. | He said family friends and neighbours were sometimes more aware of the risks to a child than the authorities. |
And he urged people concerned about a child's welfare or safety to contact the authority. | And he urged people concerned about a child's welfare or safety to contact the authority. |
"There are lots of services to help parents who are struggling to cope with parenting, so we call on parents and carers to contact us if they need help. | "There are lots of services to help parents who are struggling to cope with parenting, so we call on parents and carers to contact us if they need help. |
"We have already announced that we are carrying out a serious case review, which is looking at the circumstances surrounding this death and identify lessons that we should learn and this will be published in due course." | "We have already announced that we are carrying out a serious case review, which is looking at the circumstances surrounding this death and identify lessons that we should learn and this will be published in due course." |