A MUM who starved her disabled daughter to death in a dark, faeces covered room could have her jail term increased. Evil Elaine Clarke, 49, was jailed for nine years and seven months was sentenced to nine years and seven months in prison admitting the manslaughter by gross negligence of Debbie Leitch. Debbie, who had […]
A MUM who starved her disabled daughter to death in a dark, faeces covered room could have her jail term increased.
Evil Elaine Clarke, 49, was jailed for nine years and seven months was sentenced to nine years and seven months in prison admitting the manslaughter by gross negligence of Debbie Leitch.
Debbie, who had Down’s syndrome, weighed just 3st 10lbs when she died in a room filled with takeaway boxes and used nappies at her home in Blackpool, Lancs, in 2019.
The 24-year-old “wasn’t immediately recognisable as female” by horrified paramedics, a court was told.
Now Attorney General Suella Braverman has told the House of Commons that prison Clarke’s term has been reviewed under the unduly lenient sentence scheme.
The matter has been referred to the Court of Appeal, which will now decide whether to increase it.
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Her announcement came after a local Tory MP Scott Benton, complained the sentence handed down to Clark was “unduly lenient”.
A post-mortem revealed Debbie’s death was caused starvation and neglect while her skin had extensive scabies infection.
The room had dried faeces in it and there were live maggots on the floor.
Medics believe she may have died a full 36 hours before her “lazy and selfish” mum Elaine Clarke called for paramedics.
A judge said Clarke “abandoned Debbie to die in pain, without nourishment and in the most awful surroundings.”
Medics found Debbie’s body on August 29, 2019, after being called by the ambulance service.
It was heard that she wasn’t immediately “recognisable as a young female” as her face was covered with scabs and thickened skin.
Debbie’s jumper and trousers had mites on them, and when her clothes were cut away, they pulled off skin which had adhered to the fabric.
Her trousers were soiled and her skin infection had caused her hair to fall out.
Judge Amanda Yip said: “Her hair was falling out.
“Scabies mites had been allowed to breed and multiply. Her skin was crusted.
“Her cause of death was neglect and emaciation.”
Heartbreakingly, the court heard Debbie “idolised” her vile mother. The youngster had a boyfriend and went to college.
But Clarke began to neglect the young woman, keeping her shut away in a filthy bedroom.
Social workers visited, but the defendant, who bought shoes and handbags while her daughter starved, didn’t keep appointments with them.
Shockingly, the case was then closed.
Debbie’s cousin Sammy Mugridge visited her in her room shortly before she died.
“The sight of her in the room will live with me forever,” Ms Mugridge said.
“The stench was unbelievable. I can only describe it as the stench of death.
“Debbie was so skinny. Her hair had been hacked off, her skin looked like raw flesh. It was like something out of a horror movie.”
Judge Yip told Clarke that her daughter had been “struggling to walk”.
“She cried for you,” she said.
“The family were horrified and said if you did not look after her they would report you to the authorities.
“You reassured them she was now up, eating and looked after.”
After that, Clarke scrubbed Debbie raw in an “excruciating” shower, it was heard.
The court heard the victim “screamed” throughout the wash.
Neighbours said they heard the tragic youngster sobbing for her mum in the days before she died.
Six people were arrested in connection with her death.
Clarke changed her not guilty plea just ten days before she was due to go on trial.
Her former partner Robert Bruce, 45, was charged with allowing or causing the death of a vulnerable adult. The charge was later dropped.
Debbie’s dad Thomas Leitch, of Hastings in East Sussex, told Sun Online he learned of his beloved daughter’s death over Facebook.
“My ex-wife Amber was on the phone to her sister, who is friends with Elaine’s sister,” he said.
“Elaine put a comment on Facebook.
“That’s how I found out. I had to contact the police in Blackpool to find out what had happened.”
Thomas immediately took responsibility for organising the funeral.
But he claims he was not entitled to a funeral grant and Elaine made the decision to bury Debbie in a pauper’s grave.
He said: “I managed to get half of her ashes and I buried her in a local church, right next to my dad.
“At least I was able to do that for her.”
He said Debbie “loved just playing and being the centre of attention”.
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“Every time she saw me her face lit up,” Thomas said.
“All I can do now is try to remember the good times, but the good times have been marred forever by what happened.”
