THE mother of a two-year-old girl who suffered more than 100 injuries was sentenced today to nine years in jail for her manslaughter.

Zahbeena Navsarka, 21, was jailed at Bradford Crown Court after she was found guilty of the manslaughter of Sanam Navsarka, who died with fractures to all her limbs in May last year,

Her partner Subhan Anwar, also 21, was convicted of the child’s murder and was jailed for life with a minimum term of 23 years.

Judge Peter Thornton QC condemned the pair for their cruel and selfish behaviour.

He said: "This is a truly terrible case and, at the time of Sanam’s death on May 8, 2008, she had 107 separate injuries on the outside of her body from top to toe.

"Worse than that, she had all four limbs broken, fractures to both forearms and both thigh bones, all of these injuries inflicted in the last four weeks of her life.

"In short, she was bruised and battered repeatedly."

The judge said, at one point, a metal pole was used to shatter her leg, which must have caused unbelievable pain.

It is almost unbelievable the pain and anguish she must have suffered, not just once or twice, but repeatedly and persistently over weeks at your cruel and selfish hands."

The judge said: "It is clear you both deliberately chose not to have her treated to avoid being found out.

"Your deliberate cruelty is beyond belief."

The judge went on to say: "Humanity has let her down."

In Anwar’s case, the judge said there were no mitigating factors apart from his young age, but he conceded his actions were not sadistic or that he took any pleasure from them.

Referring to Navsarka, the judge said, as a mother, she had let her mother down.

He added: "You put your relationship with Anwar first, ignoring the needs of your vulnerable child.

"You failed to protect her from serious harm, knowing what was being done to her."

The judge said, knowing what pain the youngster was going through, her actions were unbelievable.

He added: "You did nothing, absolutely nothing. That is unbelievable. It is also incredibly cruel.

"This was a gross abuse of trust by you as a mother."

He concluded: "You selfishly put yourself and relationship with Anwar before your child."

Former social worker Sarah Lazenby-Wood had told the trial how she visited Sanam's home nine months before her death and did not see any injuries.

She said she made the visit after a mental health worker involved in the care of the girl’s grandmother became concerned.

Mrs Wood said her colleague was worried because Sanam was visiting her grandparents who had a history of violence.

She said that during the 45 minute visit the little girl was only wearing a nappy and there was no sign of any injuries.

Other council employees working in care or health departments said they saw Sanam as a normal little girl with no problems.

Sally Scott, from the Looked After Children team, told the court about a meeting with the family on April 18 last year.

She said: "There was nothing in the child’s behaviour that made me think she was in physical discomfort."

Outside court, Detective Inspector Trevor Gasson said: ``In my 25 years of police service and investigation of murder inquiries it is one of the most horrific cases I've had to deal with and one of the obviously quite emotionally charged investigations which is hard to get through at times.

"One cannot come to terms with what suffering Sanam was going through over what we believe is at least a four week period of time, including broken bones which, even as adults, we can appreciate how painful that is, particularly without medication. It’s horrific."

He went on: "I think any human being, anybody with an ounce of humane nature to them, cannot understand or comprehend how anybody can inflict these injuries on anybody, but particularly a two-year-old child and somebody that obviously is their daughter or a child that they are looking after and in their care."

Mr Gasson said he did not want to comment on any comparisons there may be with the Baby P case.

Kirklees Council said a Serious Case Review had been ordered into the case but stressed Sanam had not been on the child protection register.

In a statement, the council said: "The death of any child under any circumstances is a tragic and traumatic occurrence.

"When the death is caused by injuries and abuse inflicted by adults closest to the child concerned, it becomes even more difficult to comprehend.

"We have been shocked and deeply saddened by the death of Sanam Navsarka, whose fatal injuries, as the evidence presented in court highlighted, occurred during the very final weeks and days of her life.

"Sanam had never been on the child protection register, nor had her mother been the subject of any child protection or care support in her earlier years.

"The mother’s partner was not previously known to any public agencies.

"However, the Kirklees Safeguarding Children Board has instigated a Serious Case Review, as it is required to do in any such case.

"This will be chaired by a totally independent child social care professional.

"All the agencies involved are now awaiting completion of this Review and will act upon its conclusions. Until then, we can make no further comment."

Mr Gasson said: ``Sanam was a beautiful and lively child who had her life tragically cut short by her mother Zahbeena and her partner Subhan Anwar.

"Sanam suffered horrific injuries which have been catalogued throughout the trial.

"In an attempt to avoid their responsibility for Sanam’s injuries, Zahbeena and Subhan denied Sanam the medical treatment that she desperately needed which could have ultimately saved her life.

"Both Zahbeena and Subhan will now have to live with Sanam’s brutal death for the rest of their lives."

Margaret Taylor, special casework lawyer at CPS West Yorkshire, said: "Today we saw justice served in one of the most disturbing and distressing cases which has been before the court.

"Subhan Anwar and Zabheena Navsarka were both responsible for the care and wellbeing of Sanam.

"Instead of providing her with a secure and loving environment, Sanam was subjected over the last month of her life to a horrific catalogue of physical abuse and neglect.

"After a month of brutal beatings, she died.

"From the start this was a demanding and difficult case to work on, and we worked closely with colleagues at West Yorkshire Police from pre-charge to prosecution. My responsibility is to prepare the prosecution case, and it is some small satisfaction that Sanam’s killers have now been brought to justice."

Following the sentencing, NSPCC director of public policy Phillip Noyes said: ``The immense pain that baby Sanam must have felt as she was repeatedly brutalised over a few weeks is unimaginable.

"It is simply tragic that too little was done to save her.

"It is too easy for babies and toddlers in particular to be abused behind closed doors and out of sight of professionals.

"Neighbours, relatives and family friends can be the eyes and ears which protect a child. Sadly, our helpline hears other heartrending stories of child cruelty every day of the week.

"Child protection is everyone’s responsibility. We can’t over-stress the importance of quickly reporting concerns about a child by calling the police, social services, or the NSPCC helpline.

"This is important even if people aren’t sure whether the child is in serious danger.

"Less serious ill-treatment can sometimes escalate to extreme violence in days - with horrendous consequences.

"Any delay can cost a child’s life. It is far better to be safe than sorry."

The society said it was urging neighbours, friends and family members to phone its helpline immediately if they have concerns about a child’s safety.

A survey of the 95,000 calls to the NSPCC’s child protection helpline last year showed most people leave it for at least a month before ringing, with some even waiting a year or more.