Parents sentenced for starving girl, 7, to death

The mother and stepfather of a seven-year-old girl who starved to death will be sentenced today.

Khyra Ishaq died in May 2008 following an infection after months of starvation at her home in Handsworth, Birmingham.

Her mother Angela Gordon, 35, and Junaid Abuhamza, 30, were initially tried for her murder but after a number of weeks, and following psychiatric assessment, prosecutors at Birmingham Crown Court accepted their not guilty pleas.

Both admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility and five counts of child cruelty relating to five other children, who cannot be identified for legal reasons.

Gordon and Abuhamza, both formerly of Leyton Road, Handsworth, Birmingham, were due to be sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court last week but the case was adjourned to allow the judge, Mr Justice Roderick Evans, to hear evidence from psychiatrists.

The case has sparked calls for Birmingham City Council's strategic director for children, young people and families, Tony Howell, to resign.

Mr Howell said such an action would serve no purpose, adding that "major changes" had been made and a serious case review into Khyra's death was still being conducted by the Birmingham Safeguarding Children Board.

He said: "While we are not able to comment ahead of the release of the serious case review, we can say that in the two years since Khyra's death, there have been major changes and improvements in the way we protect vulnerable children and in the way we work more closely with our colleagues in other agencies, particularly the police."

The defendants are expected to appear by videolink for the sentencing, at Birmingham Crown Court.