Tina White, 22, was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court after being convicted of the manslaughter of three-year-old Leanne, who died with 107 separate marks on her body and endured what was described as ‘a life of misery’.

Leanne’s stepfather, Colin Sleate, 29, of Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, was jailed for life last week after being found guilty at the end of a three-week trial of murdering Leanne. He re-appeared in the dock yesterday when he was sentenced to seven years for child cruelty to run concurrently with the life term. White was given a six-year jail sentence for child cruelty, also to run concurrently.

Rejecting a plea for leniency by the defence, the judge, Mr Justice Tudor Evans, said he had heard evidence from many witnesses about Leanne’s ill-treatment. ‘That evidence shows that the child was repeatedly struck by you both. There was very strong evidence indeed that you, White, terrified your child. It went on night after night for months, screaming and swearing at her.

‘So appalling was this conduct that seven members of the public felt it their duty to report what they had heard to the social services. Each of you knew what the other was doing. But neither of you moved a finger to protect the child.’

The jury was told that Leanne was a healthy, lively and bubbly girl until Sleate moved in with her mother in November, 1991. The judge has already called for a public inquiry into why Nottinghamshire Social Services failed to act to save her.