Woman who killed stepdaughter is attacked in jail

A woman convicted of killing her six-year-old stepdaughter was attacked by inmates in a prison medical centre, a court was told on Thursday.

Tracey Wright, 31, who was found guilty of the manslaughter of her stepdaughter Lauren Wright earlier this month, had boiling water poured over her and suffered an injury to her arm, Norwich Crown Court heard.

Details of the attack were outlined by Tracey Wright's counsel, Joanna Greenberg QC, during a sentencing hearing at Norwich.

Judge David Mellor today heard mitigation on behalf of Tracey Wright and her husband, Craig Wright, 38, who was also convicted of manslaughter following a trial at Norwich.

The judge is due to pass sentence later today.

Lauren died at her home in Welney, Norfolk, in May 2000. Prosecutors said she had been cruelly abused by Tracey Wright.

It was alleged that Tracey Wright had punched the little girl so hard in the stomach that her digestive system collapsed.

Post-mortem tests revealed more than 60 bruises on the child's body, including marks probably made by a stick.

Prosecutors said Craig Wright had "turned a blind eye" to his wife's abuse of Lauren and had therefore failed in his duty of care to his daughter.

Outlining mitigation on behalf of Tracey Wright, Miss Greenberg told Judge Mellor that Tracey Wright had been in a segregation unit in prison while awaiting sentence for her own safety.

"She was subjected to an attack by other prisoners in a medical centre," Miss Greenberg told the court.

"She had boiling water thrown over her and suffered an injury to her arm.

"Feelings among prisoners run high and her time in prison will be particularly difficult and particularly lonely."

Miss Greenberg told the court that Tracey Wright deserved sympathy because she functioned on the intellectual level of a "primary school child".

She said Wright had loved her own children – a boy and girl who cannot be named for legal reasons – and her relationship with those youngsters had now been destroyed.

"She was clearly, in her own way, a loving and caring parent to her own children," said Miss Greenberg.

"That relationship has now, to all intents and purposes, been destroyed. That is a very substantial penalty."

Susan Edwards QC, for Craig Wright, said he should be treated in a very different category to his wife.

She said there was no suggestion that he had abused or assaulted Lauren and he had not seen her being abused by Tracey Wright.

His crime was that he should have recognised the signs that his daughter was at risk and the jury had found that he had turned away from his responsibilities.

"He was lied to and misled over a period of months," said Miss Edwards.

"The signs which (the professionals) saw were signs Mr Wright saw.

"He would never and had never physically harmed Lauren. He loved her ... she loved him." Miss Edwards added: "The consequence of these events has been to depress him.

"He is constantly haunted by the fact that he knows that whatever label the law puts on it, he should have done more for his daughter.

"He feels he has let her down, although he believes he was misled at he time. He is suffering huge remorse."

Jurors were told that Lauren had been under the umbrella of social workers for much of her life.

She had left the care of her natural mother, Jennifer Bennett, at the age of three, following allegations of neglect.

In the months before her death, her injuries and condition were witnessed by teachers, doctors and social workers, but no one realised how serious her plight was.

Ms Bennett was in court for the sentencing hearing today.

Tracey Wright and Craig Wright, both of Welney, were convicted of manslaughter and wilful neglect three weeks ago.