Mother of Murdered Toddler Star Hobson Released From Prison

Star Hobson's mother, Frankie Smith, has been released from prison on license, six years after her daughter was murdered. Star Hobson, aged 16 months, was killed in September 2020 by her mother's girlfriend, Savannah Brockhill, a nightclub bouncer, at their home in Keighley, West Yorkshire.

Smith was acquitted of murder and manslaughter but found guilty of causing or allowing the death of a child. She was initially sentenced to eight years, a term later increased to 12 years by the Court of Appeal. Brockhill received a life sentence with a minimum term of 25 years for the murder.

The Ministry of Justice confirmed Smith's release. The decision followed a ruling that an original trial judge had erred in sending Smith to an adult prison, given she was under 21 at the time of the offense. An appeal judge determined she should have been placed in a young offenders' institution. This adjustment also altered the calculation of her release, reducing the period she was due to serve from two-thirds of her sentence to half.

During the sentencing, Mrs. Justice Lambert described Smith as a neglectful parent, stating that Star's short life was characterized by "neglect, cruelty and injury." The judge told Smith, "It was your role as her mother to protect Star from harm. You have been convicted by this jury of failing to protect her."

Evidence presented during the trial indicated that Star suffered months of assaults and psychological harm before sustaining fatal injuries. Prosecutors stated the injuries that caused the toddler's death involved extensive damage to her abdominal cavity, likely from severe blows. Social services later emerged to have missed five opportunities to intervene in the months leading up to Star's death.

In defense, the court heard that Smith had borderline very low intelligence and had been a victim of domestic violence herself. It was also claimed that she was unaware of the assaults on Star. Justice Lambert acknowledged Smith's low IQ and her obsession with Brockhill as mitigating factors for her sentence length, noting that Smith, as a "rather immature and impressionable girl," became fixated on Brockhill. The judge added, "You were a neglectful parent, even before you began your relationship with Savannah Brockhill."

Following Smith's release, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice stated, "This was a horrific crime and our thoughts remain with all those affected. Offenders released on licence are subject to strict conditions and can be returned to prison immediately if they breach them."