Express & Star Comment: Cruelty is beyond contempt
The story of the real life 'Cinderella' is as chilling as it is tragic.
A young girl made to sleep in a shed, fed scraps, and made to wear threadbare rags by her parents while her siblings enjoyed a normal upbringing.
It is impossible to calculate that this can happen in modern day Britain.
We have to ask: How? Why?
More background from the Express & Star
Serious questions remain unanswered over how this poor girl endured the evil treatment that she did over many years without anyone raising the alarm.
How did her neglect go unnoticed by the authorities considering what powers they have at their disposal?
Further inquiries will seek to answer this question.
But we should remember that it is the parents alone who are to blame for the girl's suffering.
They have now started jail sentences of four years three months.
It is clear that the public think this is insufficient.
Ninety-nine per cent of the 3,000 people taking part in a poll on the Express & Star's website believe the sentence is too lenient.
And it is hard to disagree.
Inflicting cruelty of this scale on an innocent child is beyond contempt.
She was defenceless.
Meanwhile her siblings were afforded the sort of childhood every youngster should have.
There is no point trying to make sense of the situation – you can never comprehend evil.
This was the ultimate betrayal.
If a child cannot trust their parents, who else are they meant to turn to?
Judge Amjad Nawaz, to his credit, sentenced based on national guidelines. The maximum for this crime is five years imprisonment.
Public opinion is clear – those guidelines need to be revisited.
Many right thinking members of society will think that a sentence of 10 years would be more appropriate.
The sticking point always centres around the fact that those sentenced to jail only have to serve half their time behind bars.
This pair, whose identities are withheld legally to protect their daughter, will spend just over two years inside.
For many that simply is not tough enough. And who could disagree with that?
The girl is now safe and said to be recovering, albeit with understandable mental scars. We hope for her sake she has a happy ending.
