Star Hobson's family 'will welcome mum who let tot die at the hands of partner'

12 August 2023 , 22:14

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David Fawcett said he regularly visited Star's mum Frankie Smith in prison (Image: Huddersfield Examiner)

A relative of murdered toddler Star Hobson says he is set to welcome home her mother - who was jailed alongside the youngster's killer.

Frankie Smith was jailed for eight years for causing or allowing the 16-month-old's death at the hands of partner Savannah Brockhill. Evil Brockhill struck a fatal blow killing the youngster at the home they shared in Keighley in West Yorkshire three years ago.

Little Star died after going into cardiac arrest, with a court later hearing this resulted from either a kick or punch delivered by Brockhill. The ex-bouncer was jailed for life with the minimum of 25 years at Bradford crown court in December 2021.

Smith, 22, was cleared of murder and manslaughter during the trial, but was convicted of allowing Star's death to happen. She was due to be released next year, but an appeal later extended her sentence to 12 years.

Frankie Smith had her prison sentence extended to 12 years (PA)

Evil Savannah Brockhill will spend a minimum of 25 years behind bars (PA)

Now her step-grandfather says he has visited Smith regularly in jail, claiming she she still refers to the youngster as "my Star". Dave Fawcett, 63, told the Mail Online he had "always stood by" her and was looking forward to seeing her home when she is eventually released.

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"There’s only really me who does go to see her," he told the title. "A lot of the family can’t face seeing her."

"She does phone her mum. But she rings me nearly every day does Frankie because she’s like a daughter to me - we used to get on. We used to do everything together, used to go to all the shows."

He added that his partner - Star's great-grandmother - Anita struggled to look at pictures of the toddler as the wound is still raw. The rest of the family, he said, "just want [Star] back".

Star was 16 months old when she was killed by Savannah Brockhill (David Fawcett / SWNS)

Mr Fawcett has previously admitted to being "plagued by grief" over Star's death. Speaking last year, he said: "It is something you will never get over."

Harrowing evidence presented during Smith and Brockhill's trial revealed how Star was treated with "at best, callous indifference" and on many occasions, "frank cruelty". Judge Justice Lambert KC said at the time: “The physical injuries that Star suffered during her life are only part – however, a very significant part – of the tragic story of her life."

She added that Star Hobson was "caught in the crossfire" of the couple's "petty squabbles and jealous fights". She said: "The detail of that relationship is graphically illustrated in the many hundreds of social media messages that you sent to each other.

David Fawcett says his partner struggles to look at pictures of the smiling youngster (Huddersfield Examiner/MEN Media)

"Those messages concern petty squabbles and jealous fights. Often fuelled by alcohol, those fights quickly escalated into an exchange of violent threats and ultimatums, which were obviously meaningless to you both."

A safeguarding review into the deaths of both Star and tragic youngster Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, who was killed by father Thomas Hughes and his partner Emma Tustin, recommended new financial support to grandparents of at-risk children to remove them from potentially abusive situations. A £200million plan to fix children’s social care was unveiled by the government in February in response to both Star and Arthur's horrific deaths.

Ministers also promised to commit to exploring the possibility of providing a new financial allowance for those who become involved in looking after a child.

Susie Beever