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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Ryan Merrifield

Star Hobson: Toddler's sadistic killer 'shows no remorse' in interview from behind bars

A former bouncer jailed for murdering toddler Star Hobson showed no remorse for the killing or sadistic torture she put the little girl through during an interview from prison.

Savannah Brockhill has pledged to appeal her conviction which has landed her a minimum term of 25 years inside, according to reports.

Speaking over the phone from HMP Styal, in Cheshire, the 28-year-old also denied claims a fellow inmate had scalded her with boiling water and sugar - known as 'prison napalm'.

In December, Brockhill stood trial alongside her ex-partner and 16-month old Star's mum Frankie Smith, 20, who was convicted of allowing her daughter's death and jailed for just eight years.

Brockhill has her own room in prison with a TV and ensuite, as well as a pastoral view from her window.

Star was subjected to violent abuse (PA)
16-month-old Star was punched to death by her mother's girlfriend (Yvonne Spendley / SWNS)

The judge at the seven-week trial at Bradford Crown Court before Christmas had observed Star was "caught in the crossfire" of the narcissistic, on-off relationship between the couple who were supposed to be looking after her.

The tot's "short life was marked by neglect, cruelty and injury", said Mrs Justice Lambert, addressing the two defendants sitting apart in the dock.

Star died after Brockhill kicked or punched her in the stomach with all the force of a crashing car, according to a medical expert.

Frankie Smith was jailed for eight years (PA)
The couple's relationship was described as obsessive and violent (Yorkshire Live/MEN Media)

But on trying to save her life, doctors also found she had suffered other serious injuries, including fractures to the skull and ribs, and a twice-fractured leg.

Brockhill and Smith would force the child to face the wall despite being so weak she could hardly stand, while filming their abuse of her.

Brockhill put music to a clip of Star toppling off a chair and hitting her head and sent it to friends with the caption: "I've laughed so hard."

Under the early release system, Smith could be free by the time she's 24 - though the Attorney General has ordered a review of her sentence.

While her former partner - who she met on a night out in Bradford in 2019 - is planning to appeal her conviction on the grounds it was Smith who actually delivered the fatal strike on September 22, 2020 at her flat in Keighley, West Yorkshire.

During the interview with the Daily Mail she quoted from 4,000 documents of evidence which she claims proves her "innocence".

Brockhill claims Smith kicked out at her daughter to stop her from following her to the bathroom and accidentally caught her in the stomach.

Asked why she didn't bring it up in court, she claimed her lawyers warned her against blaming her ex for fear she'd be accused of lying.

"I loved her to bits, but in the end it was more for Star [that she stayed with Smith]," she claimed during her interview with the Daily Mail.

"I loved Star, the more so because she was born on my mother's birthday, the 21st of May. She had the bluest eyes you've ever seen, and she just wanted to play.

"She'd fall asleep holding my fingers. She was always clinging to me."

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