More than 100 children in Kirklees being neglected

Oct 14 2010 by Barry Gibson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

NEW figures show dozens of children in Kirklees are being neglected.

Kirklees Council revealed yesterday that 240 young people in the district are classed as “at significant risk”.

More than 100 of these children are being neglected.

Several high-profile cases of child neglect and cruelty have come to light in Kirklees in the last few years, including kidnapped Dewsbury schoolgirl Shannon Matthews, murdered Deighton toddler Sanam Navsarka and murdered four-year-old Leticia Wright.

Sanam’s evil stepfather, 21-year-old Subhan Anwar, was jailed for a minimum of 23 years for her murder in February last year.

Her mother, 21-year-old Zahbeena Navsarka, was sentenced to nine years in jail after she was cleared of her daughter’s murder but found guilty of her manslaughter.

Peter Seaton, 23, and his partner, Leticia’s mother Sharon Wright, 24, were jailed in August 2007 for her murder. Both must also serve at least 23 years.

Shannon Matthews ‘vanished’ on her way to school in Dewsbury in February 2009 sparking a massive 24-day police hunt in February 2008.

Her mother, 34-year-old Karen Matthews and Michael Donovan, 41, were both jailed for the kidnap of Shannon.

She was found hiding inside a divan bed at Donovan’s flat in Batley Carr less than two miles from Shannon’s home in Moorside Road, Dewsbury Moor.

Both were handed eight-year jail terms after they were convicted of kidnap, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice.

The figures come as a new survey shows up to 10% of young people are being neglected.