SHARON LIPPETT'S HORRIFIC CHILD ABUSE IN KINGSWAY AND GLOUCESTERSHIRE ENDS IN SEVEN-YEAR SENTENCE

In April 2019, a disturbing case of child abuse emerged from Gloucestershire, involving a foster mother named Sharon Lippett, aged 45, who subjected a five-year-old girl to a brutal campaign of cruelty that nearly resulted in the child's death. The abuse took place over a span of three and a half years, beginning shortly after the girl was adopted by Lippett in 2012, when she was just two years old.

Sharon Lippett, residing in Kingsway, Gloucestershire, was found guilty by a unanimous jury at Gloucester Crown Court of multiple charges, including three counts of cruelty to a child under 16, causing unnecessary suffering, and willful neglect of a child. The court's verdict was delivered after a four-week trial that revealed the extent of the horrific treatment inflicted upon the young girl.

The court heard that the girl was placed in Lippett's care in January 2012 after her biological mother was unable to continue caring for her. During her time with Lippett, the child endured severe punishments and physical abuse. Witnesses described how she was subjected to cruel and inhumane treatment, such as being zipped into a suitcase, beaten with various implements, forced to stand in stress positions with weights hanging above her head, and made to hang from a door by her fingertips. These acts of abuse were so severe that the girl was eventually hospitalized in June 2015 with injuries so grave that doctors considered her fortunate to be alive.

On that day, the girl was brought to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, where her condition prompted immediate concern. The medical examination revealed extensive bruising across her body—49 different areas from her head to her legs, including injuries to her face and torso. Photographs presented to the jury showed the bruises, including one that appeared to outline a belt buckle, suggesting multiple blows from a belt or similar object. The severity of her injuries indicated a pattern of sustained physical assault.

Prosecutor Simon Dent described the girl's condition as extremely critical, noting she had experienced two seizures and was drifting in and out of consciousness. The examination uncovered the brutal extent of her injuries, which included severe bruising and trauma. Lippett was questioned by authorities but largely remained silent, offering only minimal responses during her arrest. She claimed that the injuries had occurred the night before her hospital admission, attributing them to an incident involving local boys attempting to steal her scooter. However, after her hospitalization, the girl was removed from Lippett's care and placed with other foster families.

Despite the change in guardianship, the girl confided in her new foster carers about the abuse she had suffered at Lippett’s hands. Over several months, she made disturbing disclosures, which were documented and recorded during police interviews. By July 2015, it was observed that she exhibited signs of emotional distress, such as refusing to trust her caregivers when washing her hair and becoming rigid in the bath. The following month, her distress deepened, and she began to openly state that Sharon Lippett had repeatedly hit her, with Tony Lippett, her son, also accused of physical abuse. The girl recounted being hit with a towel and witnessing Tony laughing while she was beaten.

Further allegations revealed that she was forced to hold a heavy Lego box above her head, with threats and shouting if she lowered her arms. She also claimed that Kyle Marshall, Lippett’s partner, had told her to eat dog feces and threatened to cut off her fingers by forcing her to put her hands on the floor. The most alarming accusation was that Sharon Lippett had attempted to drown her, pushing her under water and making her fear for her life.

Judge Michael Cullum, presiding over the case, condemned Lippett’s actions, describing her treatment of the child as 'appallingly cruel.' In his sentencing remarks, he stated that the child's near-death experience was a direct result of her neglect and abuse. The judge expressed suspicion that Lippett only brought the girl to the hospital to avoid being held accountable for her death, criticizing her apparent indifference and boredom towards the child's suffering.

He highlighted the extensive physical injuries, including 49 bruising sites, and emphasized that the child would have been in significant pain and distress at the time. The judge noted that the medical professionals had rarely seen such widespread bruising on a living child. He condemned the environment Lippett created, describing it as a 'cruel house' where no child should ever be subjected to such treatment. The psychological, emotional, and developmental harm inflicted on the girl was profound, compounded by neglect, underfeeding, and physical abuse.

In conclusion, Judge Cullum sentenced Sharon Lippett to seven years in prison for her role in this horrific case of child cruelty. The sentencing underscores the severity of her actions and the need for justice in protecting vulnerable children from such egregious abuse.