Child cruelty cases 'getting out of hand', says great-grandad of Keighley toddler Star Hobson

The great-grandfather of murdered toddler Star Hobson is calling for the government to put more funding into tackling child cruelty and neglect, after research revealed cases have more than doubled in England over the past five years.

Savannah Brockhill, 28, was jailed for life in 2021 for killing the 16-month-old, alongside Star's mother Frankie Smith who was handed an eight-year sentence for causing or allowing her daughter's death.

The two women inflicted fatal injuries on Star at her home in Keighley in September 2020.

The NSPCC has today released statistics revealing a 106% rise in child cruelty and neglect offences in England over the past five years.

The charity analysed Freedom of Information data from police forces and found 29,4405 offences were recorded between April 2022 and March 2023, up from 14,263 in 2017-18.

Star Hobson's great-grandad, David Fawcett, told ITV's Good Morning Britain: "It keeps happening. I read week-in week-out child cruelties, children being killed by parents and partners, it's just getting out of hand.

"I'm just flabbergasted really at the amount of cases that there is now. Because we thought after we lost Star things will change but obviously it is getting worse. It's got a lot worse."

Mr Fawcett claims Star had been let down by social services, saying a family member had put in a referral, but social workers apparently dismissed the report after visiting Smith's home and without getting more information from the family member.

A review found the family's concerns were "disregarded" before her murder.

Bradford Council said it was working with a Government-appointed Children's Commissioner to make improvements.

Mr Fawcett said: "There was nothing done, it was more-or-less swept under the carpet and three months later we lost Star.

"This is going to go on unless they get down to the root of the problems. It probably needs more money putting into it. The government needs to look at it, sort these awful situations out.

"How can this be still happening? It just needs professional people to be in charge that know what they're doing."

The government said spending on children's social care is now over £10 billion a year and rising.

A spokesperson said: "Any instance of child cruelty is abhorrent, and perpetrators will face the full force for the law.

"To transform the support for the most vulnerable children and families, we are working at pace to deliver ambitious and wide-ranging reforms, including introducing new, dedicated multi-agency child protection teams and creating a fostering recruitment and retention programme so foster care is available to more children."

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