Child-starving was manslaughter

A MOTHER who starved her seven-year-old daughter to death was cleared of murder yesterday after prosecutors accepted her defence of diminished responsibility.

Angela Gordon, who admitted the manslaughter of Khyra Ishaq two weeks ago, was formally found not guilty of murder by jurors at Birmingham Crown Court on the orders of trial judge Mr Justice Roderick Evans.

The decision by the Crown to accept Gordon's plea to the lesser charge came after she admitted five counts of child cruelty and psychiatrists agreed that she was suffering from severe depression when Khyra died in May 2008.

The decision to accept Gordon's plea was taken in the sixth week of a retrial after days of psychiatric assessment and legal argument.

Gordon, 35, and Khyra's stepfather, 30-year-old Junaid Abuhamza, who also pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, will now be sentenced on Friday next week.

Tony Howell, Birmingham City Council's strategic director for children, young people and families, rejected calls for his resignation.

He said: "I would like to begin by saying how sorry I am that we were unable to save Khyra Ishaq.

"It is difficult to comprehend that in this day and age a child can starve to death in Britain without anyone appearing to notice.

"But the fact of the matter is that it did happen, and it has caused a great deal of hard reflection among all the agencies in the city who have a responsibility to protect vulnerable children."

Mr Howell, who said improvements had been made to Birmingham's social services since the death of Khyra, said he was thankful those directly responsible for her death had been convicted.