Isabella Jonas-Wheildon

I think it is often felt that as (usually) there is no child abuse until a new partner is in place they are the instigator of the violence against the child and the woman is too much in fear of their partner to stop them.

In the Sharif case it is clear that the father was the dominant partner in the abuse.

Iam64

Allira, I listened to some of the Judgement read out before sentencing. The Judge found the step mother to be responsible for the bite marks.

Thanks, Iam64

We had to turn off the news as we had a visitor.

I don't know if I can read it all, quite honestly.
I've read some truly shocking reports over the years but this is amongst the worst.

Allira, I listened to some of the Judgement read out before sentencing. The Judge found the step mother to be responsible for the bite marks.

In the Sara Sharif case it could not be proved that the step-mother inflicted the bite marks as she refused to take a test.
Personally, I think she should have been held down and forced to take a test but that would be against her human rights.
The father was found to have inflicted the injuries which finally killed his little girl. However the step-mother was also found guilty of murder. She could be out by her early sixties.
The Uncle got just 16 years for allowing the death of a child. He will be out by the time he's in his forties - I hope he doesn't come into contact with more children on his release.

Goodness knows what the other children witnessed and how it has damaged them.

In the case of litte Isabella, the sentences seem unduly lenient.

I agree with your post GrannyGravy13

These people are depraved.

tinaf1

What I don’t understand is the disparity in the sentencing in these cases. I get the point that they are both charged with different crimes under the law but he gets 26 years she gets 10 and this happens time and time again.
As far as I can see she is just as responsible for the poor little girl death for standing by and doing nothing as he is ( probably morally rather than legally) but the law should be changed . They both killed the little girl him by his actions and her by doing sweet FA and letting it happen

I ask this question in an earlier post and after reading GG 13 post , I have just read the sentencing for Sara Sharif her father gets minimum 40years (life should mean life in these cases) the stepmother 33 years minimum.

Again why they are both equally responsible for what happened to that child.

Both her and Isabella’s mother/ stepmother knew what they were either condoning are actually doing was beyond understanding.

Both my parents grew up in a very deprived part of London were poor but were always nurtured and fed and never subjected to abuse . Both my grandmothers always went the extra mile for their children even if it meant going without themselves .

Back in the 90s I worked in a small legal firm which specialized in legal aid, particularly for women. Often the women were trying to escape an abuser. Court orders were obtained to prevent the abuser making contact but the women often went back to them, sometimes more than once.

This firm was in Ipswich; prior to that I worked in Felixstowe. It was common in both towns to see young women, often teens, pushing babies around. I think that love and care was missing from their lives and they had a baby in order to give and receive that love. Unfortunately they didn't know how difficult it would be to bring up a child on their own.

Post seems fine to me GG. The news is so depressing all round.

I don’t know why you believe your post will be unpopular GrannyGravy13.
Some men are skilled at targeting vulnerable women. Some women are excited by bad boys.

We have significant problems with drug and alcohol abuse and dependence in the UK. It’s being slowly but surely normalised. Parents who use / are dependent on substances are not capable of meeting their children’s needs consistently or at times, at all. It’s unusual for substance misuse or dependence not to be a factor in safeguarding

I am sure my post will be unpopular but here goes…

There are some folks who should not have or be near children ever!

Blaming this evil man’s actions on poverty or drugs is a cop out, he is evil, depraved and preyed on a vulnerable single mum and her daughter.

The mother, of previous good character and a good parent, did not protect her daughter, why?

Had he duped her into his drug fuelled depravity?

I would like to see the key to his cell thrown away, minimal life sustaining food/water pushed through an opening in the cell door, no interactions with other prisoners (or any human) no exercise, no tv or computer games, let him rot.

The same for poor little Sara’s Father, Uncle and Step-Mother.

No police forces , no benefits, no access to any support in Hogarth’s life time,

Following Dickens’ post about Gin Lane.
About 12 years ago I had 4 visits to parents of children who had been removed and were living in foster care. The children were subjects of interim care orders and assessments ongoing.
I had an unexpected hour as one parent was not at home. I was in the area near the art gallery on Whitworth St, Manchester so called in for a coffee. There was an exhibition of Hogarth prints. The images of the gin sodden mothers, babies falling out of their arms, weeping, neglected immediately made me believe, this is what we are trying to change now, but it’s heroin, cocaine, mdma, crack, cannabis and alcohol our children are born into.

Dickens it really is frightening and you’re right, it’s nothing to do with poverty.It’s subnormal behavior.

Allira

^Are we that far removed from Hogarth's Gin Lane - with cocaine / heroin etc, the new 'gin' (the poor child had traces in her body)?^
😯 That's shocking, I didn't realise that.

I have absolutely no idea what can be done to 'deal with' individuals like Jeff and Gleason-Mitchell to prevent them from perpetrating such horrific abuse of children in their care.

I really do think they should be sterilised although that would not prevent either of them hooking up with another parent and doing the same again on their release.

It is likely that either has another child, it will be taken from its parents at birth.

Are we that far removed from Hogarth's Gin Lane - with cocaine / heroin etc, the new 'gin' (the poor child had traces in her body)?
😯 That's shocking, I didn't realise that.

I have absolutely no idea what can be done to 'deal with' individuals like Jeff and Gleason-Mitchell to prevent them from perpetrating such horrific abuse of children in their care.

I really do think they should be sterilised although that would not prevent either of them hooking up with another parent and doing the same again on their release.

Allira

62Granny

Unlike Sara Sharifs, Isabella doesn't seem to have been known to Social Services, her mother was said to be a good mother while she was with the father but obviously it changed after she met Scott Jeff and they started moving around living in B&B and holiday type accommodation. Unfortunately when these people move around even if the authorities want to check up on them it isn't easy when they are constantly moving around. It is so sad another child murdered at the hands of the person who was supposed to look after them, their mother even if she didn't do the harm she allowed it to happen. Also this women had been in child care before her daughter was born, it makes you think.

36 days - that all the time that man was in little Isabella's life and in that time he managed to torture, beat and kill the toddler.

What was wrong with that mother that she allowed her previously happy little girl to be treated so?

What was wrong with that mother that she allowed her previously happy little girl to be treated so?

It's unfathomable isn't it?

She appeared smitten with Scott Jeff - to the point she took leave of her senses.

From his mug-shot he looks like a million other slightly sullen-faced young men wandering around on the fringes of society in their 'hoodies' (CCTV images of them both), with 'no fixed address'.

He allegedly bought cocaine from another resident of the temporary accommodation where they lived which he and Gleason-Mitchel took to their room.

How many lives are being lived like this - under the radar? How many children are right now at risk?

Are we degenerating as a society, or has it always been like this?

Are we that far removed from Hogarth's Gin Lane - with cocaine / heroin etc, the new 'gin' (the poor child had traces in her body)?

It isn't just about poverty either though is it? There are, God-alone knows how many, people living impoverished lives who manage to nurture their children, send them to school, feed them and love them amidst the chaos of impoverishment,

I have absolutely no idea what can be done to 'deal with' individuals like Jeff and Gleason-Mitchell to prevent them from perpetrating such horrific abuse of children in their care.

... and how many are there - from such backgrounds - children who grow into adults having survived abuse and neglect? What kind of lives can they expect to lead?

I think it's frightening.

36 days? Wow, that’s shocking!

62Granny

Unlike Sara Sharifs, Isabella doesn't seem to have been known to Social Services, her mother was said to be a good mother while she was with the father but obviously it changed after she met Scott Jeff and they started moving around living in B&B and holiday type accommodation. Unfortunately when these people move around even if the authorities want to check up on them it isn't easy when they are constantly moving around. It is so sad another child murdered at the hands of the person who was supposed to look after them, their mother even if she didn't do the harm she allowed it to happen. Also this women had been in child care before her daughter was born, it makes you think.

36 days - that all the time that man was in little Isabella's life and in that time he managed to torture, beat and kill the toddler.

What was wrong with that mother that she allowed her previously happy little girl to be treated so?

Unlike Sara Sharifs, Isabella doesn't seem to have been known to Social Services, her mother was said to be a good mother while she was with the father but obviously it changed after she met Scott Jeff and they started moving around living in B&B and holiday type accommodation. Unfortunately when these people move around even if the authorities want to check up on them it isn't easy when they are constantly moving around. It is so sad another child murdered at the hands of the person who was supposed to look after them, their mother even if she didn't do the harm she allowed it to happen. Also this women had been in child care before her daughter was born, it makes you think.

contacted SS

I think I've read several times of children happy and thriving with grandparents who deeply care for them, only to be removed to the parent and partner. I've also read that they, the grandparent, had Social Services as to what is happening when the child was returned to the parent and partner and their voices ignored. . I think that was the case with Star's grandparent which was construed as prejudice on his part, as the daughter was in a same sex partnership rather than genuine concerns about the little girl's welfare. There was a little boy, not so long ago removed from grandparents meeting neglect and death in the family home. . The grief these grandparents feel must be overwhelming.

We try to make sense of this by applying our own standards. Where we live, the lie of the land, our own mind map.
We can not begin to imagine day after day, night after night listening to this. Being next door to this.

Personally, in such extreme conditions I would have phoned the police. Many times.

Who will listen to a neighbour ?

What about neighbours.grandparents.friends or anyone else who knew or suspected Sara was being beaten unmercifully by the murdering bully.? Why didn't they complain about Sara and the abuse that she suffered.also what about the judges who sent her back to that killer again? Why is it still happening and still going on this minute. Be that busybody and be that nosey but very concerned caring person.be that Hero or Heroine. Don't look away and pretend it's not happening to a helpless child don't ignore as it can save this carnage in the UK going on behind closed doors. But very soon it will be in the headlines again..like How could this Happen to a child...... ? Well it is happening til someone brave enough steps up.

Until the law changes and the priority of the child is first and foremost this is going to happen time and time again.
Regardless of race creed step parents or other cohabiting partners social workers police and any other child protection bodies should have power to gain access to vulnerable children and get them to a place of safety without having to worry about wether their will be any adverse consequences.
The money and time spent on independent reviews and the old lessons will be learnt should be going to protect vulnerable children

My background is residential care cossy so I suppose it is that care that I am thinking about rather than foster care, etc.