The news that the mother who brutally killed her defenceless toddler has had her sentence cut has been met with horror by many.
Kathryn Smith was convicted of stamping on her toddler daughter Ayeeshia so hard it caused the tot's heart to stop.
It caused a national outcry as details of the harrowing case emerged. Ayeeshia had been subjected to a long catalogue of abuse in her short tragic life. She had been so mistreated that she was covered in cuts and bruises and even her hair was falling out. It is without a doubt one of the most shocking cases the Burton Mail has ever covered.
So it was with relief that the mother who so cruelly treated this poor mite and so viciously snuffed out her life was jailed for life with a judge at the time saying drug user Smith should serve 24 years in prison.
But this week judges sitting in the appeal court in London have ruled that Smith's sentence was too long and due to her 'immaturity' and youth at the time of murdering her daughter she must now only serve 19 years.
Nineteen years, albeit a long time to spend in prison, means 24-year-old Smith will be 43 when she is released. At that age she can effectively start again. She will be young enough to have another child if she wishes, and will have many years of freedom ahead of her. Ayeeshia on the other hand had her future cruelly snatched away.
Smith's youth and immaturity seem odd reasoning to us for lowering her sentence for such a serious crime when there are so many young people out there who each day inspire us with deeds way beyond their tender years.
Malala Yousafzai is only 18 and became a campaigner against the Taliban’s efforts to stop girls going to school. She was eventually shot in the head for her views, but did not let this stop her. In 2013 she became the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.
Closer to home Uttoxeter's Adam Peaty is only 22 and is an Olympic and world swimming champion. To achieve such heights he works tirelessly every day pushing himself to the limit. He has also spoken often of the importance of youngsters learning to swim and following in his footsteps.
And there are also thousands of unsung young parents out there who, despite their immaturity, are doing a damn fine job of bringing up their children.
Smith's original sentence should have remained for such an evil crime.
