2 August 2013 Last updated at 09:07 ET
Magdelena Luczak and Mariusz Krezolek denied murder and blamed each other
Sentencing the pair Mrs Justice Cox said Daniel "must have been absolutely terrified"
Krezolek and Luczak killed Daniel after a "campaign of cruelty", the judge said
Magdelena Luczak and Mariusz Krezolek denied murder and blamed each other
The mother of Daniel Pelka and her partner have been jailed for life for the four-year-old's murder.
Magdelena Luczak, 27, and Mariusz Krezolek, 34, must serve a minimum of 30 years each for what the judge called their "incomprehensible brutality".
Luczak and Krezolek blamed each other for killing Daniel who died from a head injury in March 2012.
Daniel, who had also been starved by the pair, weighed just over a stone and a half when he died.
'Campaign of cruelty'
At Birmingham Crown Court, Judge Mrs Justice Cox told Luczak and Krezolek, who lived in Coventry, they had "caused [Daniel] severe physical and mental suffering".
She said Daniel's punishments were "designed to humiliate" and that he was "a victim of chronic and systematic starvation" in a "campaign of cruelty".
Sentencing the pair Mrs Justice Cox said Daniel "must have been absolutely terrified"
Mrs Justice Cox said: "Complicity in ill treatment started with a broken arm when he was just three and a half.
"What was handed out to Daniel was incomprehensible brutality by both of you."
He was also subjected to cold water punishment.
"We will never know exactly what form it took because you have not explained it - he must have been absolutely terrified," Mrs Justice Cox said.
The pair "constructed a careful and wholly untruthful account" that Daniel had a serious eating disorder and learning difficulties, for which he was receiving medical treatment.
"This account was deliberately designed to prevent interference by school, medical and welfare personnel, and to perpetuate the brutality being meted out to him."
The judge said Luczak and Krezolek "instructed and encouraged" Daniel's sibling to tell lies to the authorities if they "were asked any questions about what was happening at home".
'Failings'
The judge said the level of culpability of Luczak and Krezolek was "extremely high" and that there was "minimal mitigation in this case".
Stephen Linnehan, representing Luczak, told the court she had come to "this country in search of a better life" and "has now lost everything".
Krezolek and Luczak killed Daniel after a "campaign of cruelty", the judge said
Krezolek's barrister told the court he did not have the intention to kill and was "deeply ashamed" of his conduct [towards Daniel].
Daniel's death is the subject of a serious case review by Coventry's Safeguarding Children Board and a report is due to be published in the next six weeks.
The review will look at what was done by police and social services after staff at Daniel's school - Coventry Little Heath Primary School - noticed bruising on his neck and what appeared to be two black eyes.
Speaking to BBC News, Amy Weir, the independent chair of the board said: "Clearly there were failings in Daniel's case and the serious case review is looking at why systems that are in place were not used."
Senior crown prosecutor, Lisa Windridge, said: "We hope that the sentence today brings closure to this case to the family of Daniel both in this country and in Poland.
"This has been a very difficult case for all of those involved with it and we are pleased that justice has finally been achieved for Daniel Pelka."
what about a review of the actions of the then headmaster?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2382890/Daniel-Pelka-murder-Headteacher-Daniel-Clews-says-pleasant-time-anyone.html
Something not quite adding up here.
"Daniel (circled in green) is seen leaving Little Heath Primary School in Coventry with his mother (circled in yellow) just 36 hours before he died"
"At the time of his death, Daniel weighed just over a stone and a half - and had suffered a catalogue of injuries."
22lbs.. 10kg.
"The following month, [the boy's class teacher] alerted Mr Clews when Daniel had black eyes. But, in court, Mr Clews claimed it was not serious enough to go in the concerns book"
???