Inquest into death of murdered Keighley toddler Star Hobson adjourned

A coroner has adjourned the inquest into the death of the murdered toddler Star Hobson after requesting the full police file on the "very tragic and complex" case.

At a brief hearing at Bradford Coroners' Court in Little Germany, senior coroner Martin Fleming said he would resume the inquest in July.

Star was 16 months old when she died following months of abuse at the hands of her mother, Frankie Smith, and Smith's partner, Savannah Brockhill, in September 2020 at their home in Wesley Place, Keighley.

Brockhill was jailed for life for murder. Smith, who was convicted of causing or allowing Star's death, was initially jailed for eight years but had her sentence increased to 12 years by the Court of Appeal this week.

Mr Fleming asked for updates from the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which is investigating police involvement in the case, and the child death review manager at the Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

He said: “I will need several weeks to obtain and consider the files. There is a substantial file for me to consider.”

The next hearing is scheduled for Thursday, 7 July.