Nottingham charity Kidscape’s CEO is calling for lessons to be learned from child abuse cases after the sentencing of Kathryn Smith.
Smith, from Nottingham, received a 24 year sentence today (April 11) at Birmingham Crown Court for the murder of her daughter, 21 month old Ayeeshia Jane Smith.
Mrs Justice Andrews labelled Ayeeshia’s mother a “devious, manipulative and selfish young woman.”
There has to be an inquiry
CEO Claude Knights of Kidscape, a charity highlighting child protection issues, said: “My reaction to the whole case is one of huge concern and it’s very, very depressing.
“It’s another case of non-accidental injury with a child that is subject to a child protection order.
“I think there has to be an inquiry.”
VIDEO: Kidscape CEO Claude Knights talks about what she thinks needs to be done
Smith’s former partner, Matthew Rigby, also from Nottingham, was sentenced to six years and three months for causing or allowing Ayeeshia’s death.
The court heard that Ayeeshia died from a heart laceration from her injuries said to have been caused by being stamped on May 1 2014.
At the time, the family was living in Burton-on-Trent in Staffordshire and Ayeeshia had been returned to Smith six months before her death following a period in care.
Kidscape CEO Claude Knights says that children with this sort of history need to be more closely monitored to stop this from happening in the future.
