The dad and mom of a disabled woman who died after changing into morbidly overweight have had their jail sentences elevated over her manslaughter.
Kaylea Titford had simply turned 16 when she died in her dwelling in Powys, mid Wales, in October 2020, weighing greater than 22st.
Her father Alun Titford, 45, was sentenced to seven years and 6 months in jail at Swansea Crown Court in March.
Sarah Lloyd-Jones, 39, Kaylea’s mom, was jailed for six years.
The pair had their jail sentences elevated on the Court of Appeal on Friday to 10 years and eight years, respectively.
Kaylea had lived with hydrocephalus and spinabifida since delivery however had reeceived mainstream schooling and was described as a proficient wheelchair basketball participant.
Lawyers representing the Attorney General’s workplace (AGO) argued that Titford and Lloyd-Jones’ sentences had been “unduly lenient” and referred to as for them to be elevated.
William Emlyn Jones KC, representing the AGO mentioned the offence fell “into the definition of ‘extreme'”.
“By virtue of the combination of the duration of the neglect, the nature of the victim’s prolonged suffering, the extent of the victim’s vulnerability and absolute dependence on her parents for care, and ultimately, the appalling conditions in which she was left to live and ultimately die, this is an offence which falls into the definition of ‘extreme’,” he mentioned.
Lloyd-Jones watched the listening to by way of video hyperlink from jail, however Titford was not current.
Lewis Power KC and David Elias KC, representing Lloyd-Jones and Titford respectively, had argued the unique sentences had been “well placed”.
The sentences had been elevated by Lord Justice Popplewell, who sat with Mrs Justice McGowan and His Honour Judge Bate.
Lord Justice Popplewell mentioned Kaylea had been “living in unimaginable squalor”.
‘Shocking neglect’
Officers from Dyfed-Powys Police attended Kaylea’s dwelling on 10 October 2020, after her household reported her dying.
Police say the situations through which they discovered Kaylea had been “abhorrent”, indicating “shocking neglect over a prolonged period of time, both environmentally and physically”.
When Mr Justice Griffiths handed down the pair’s unique sentences for gross negligence manslaughter on 1 March, he mentioned they’d proven “shocking and prolonged neglect over lockdown”.
He added that it was “obvious that she [Lloyd-Jones] was failing” in her care of Kaylea and that Titford had “ignored…the evidence of his own eyes and nose that [Kaylea] was not getting the care she needed”.
“His long hours at work are not an excuse, he liked working, he did not like helping”, including that Titford “could and should have done more to help, and ask others for help”.
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The investigation into Kaylea’s dying concerned the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
Iwan Jenkins, deputy chief crown prosecutor for CPS Cymru Wales, informed Sky News after her dad and mom had been sentenced that “cases of this nature are difficult to deal with”.
“No child should have to face the horror of what she had to go through during her time prior to her death,” he added.
Source: information.sky.com”