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| Toddler fight women spared jail | Toddler fight women spared jail |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Four Plymouth women who goaded toddlers into fighting and filmed it have been given 12-month suspended sentences. | Four Plymouth women who goaded toddlers into fighting and filmed it have been given 12-month suspended sentences. |
| Carole Olver, 48, and her three daughters, Zara, 21, Serenza, 29, and Danielle, 19, admitted child cruelty charges at Plymouth Crown Court. | Carole Olver, 48, and her three daughters, Zara, 21, Serenza, 29, and Danielle, 19, admitted child cruelty charges at Plymouth Crown Court. |
| During the case, seven minutes of video was shown. A boy wearing a nappy was called a "wimp" for not hitting his sister back after she struck him. | During the case, seven minutes of video was shown. A boy wearing a nappy was called a "wimp" for not hitting his sister back after she struck him. |
| The four women are heard laughing as the toddlers are urged to fight. | The four women are heard laughing as the toddlers are urged to fight. |
| Anyone watching this footage... would have been sickened and saddened Det Sgt Barry Walters | |
| The boy, aged two, is seen crying after being punched in the face by his three-year-old sister and is told by one of the four women in the room "not to be a wimp or a faggot" and to hit the girl back. | |
| One of the women pleaded guilty to causing or procuring the children to be ill treated in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury. | One of the women pleaded guilty to causing or procuring the children to be ill treated in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury. |
| The women were told they posed no risk to societyThe other three pleaded guilty to jointly inciting the ill treatment of children. | The women were told they posed no risk to societyThe other three pleaded guilty to jointly inciting the ill treatment of children. |
| Judge Francis Gilbert gave all four women from North Prospect in Plymouth a one-year suspended sentence, saying they posed no risk to the public. He also ordered them to do 100 hours of unpaid work. | Judge Francis Gilbert gave all four women from North Prospect in Plymouth a one-year suspended sentence, saying they posed no risk to the public. He also ordered them to do 100 hours of unpaid work. |
| The children are in the care of the parents of their father, who is a member of the armed forces. | The children are in the care of the parents of their father, who is a member of the armed forces. |
| 'Deserved' prison | |
| The case came to court after the father returned from a posting in Iraq and found the images on a camcorder. | The case came to court after the father returned from a posting in Iraq and found the images on a camcorder. |
| He then told social services in Plymouth who alerted the police's child protection unit. | He then told social services in Plymouth who alerted the police's child protection unit. |
| Speaking after the case, investigating officer Det Sgt Barry Walters said: "Anyone watching this footage showing grown adults encouraging very young children committing unnatural acts would have been sickened and saddened. | Speaking after the case, investigating officer Det Sgt Barry Walters said: "Anyone watching this footage showing grown adults encouraging very young children committing unnatural acts would have been sickened and saddened. |
| "We have been in touch with child protection teams across the country and to my knowledge this is the first time that something like this has ever gone to court." | "We have been in touch with child protection teams across the country and to my knowledge this is the first time that something like this has ever gone to court." |
| He said the sentencing was the "decision of the judge". | He said the sentencing was the "decision of the judge". |
| "Our priority and the priority of their family is the children. | "Our priority and the priority of their family is the children. |
| "They are in a very supportive family who wish to bring them up the best way they can." | "They are in a very supportive family who wish to bring them up the best way they can." |
| Michelle Elliott, director of children's charity Kidscape, said: "Quite frankly if there was an offence that deserved even 12 months in prison this was it. | |
| "What they've done is send a message that this isn't a very serious thing and they've walked free. I think most people are outraged by that." |