In 2026, the Offender Database reported that Sharon Lippett, 45, of Kingsway, Gloucestershire, was sentenced to seven years in prison for a “vicious” campaign of cruelty against a young girl. Lippett appeared at Gloucester Crown Court following a four-week trial where a jury found her guilty of child cruelty, causing unnecessary suffering, and wilful neglect between 2012 and 2015.
The investigation by Gloucestershire Constabulary began in June 2015 when the victim, then aged five, was taken to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital in a state described as “near death.” Doctors reported that the girl was lucky to be alive, having suffered two fits and drifting in and out of consciousness upon arrival.
A “Wicked” Regime of Torture
The court heard “vile” details of the abuse the girl endured after being adopted by Lippett at the age of two. The “behaviour” inside the home involved:
- Physical Violence: Medical staff identified 49 different sites of bruising across the girl’s body, including marks matching a belt buckle.
- Degrading Punishment: The child was zipped into suitcases, forced to stand in stress positions while holding heavy weights, and made to hang from doors by her fingertips.
- Psychological Terror: The victim reported that Lippett had pushed her under bathwater in an attempt to drown her.
- Starvation: The girl was found to be severely underweight and “under tall,” with the judge noting her condition was akin to living in “famine conditions.”
Judge Michael Cullum emphasised the “wickedness” of the household, stating that Lippett only took the child to the hospital to avoid having to “explain a dead child.”
Family Convictions and Sentences
Two men living at the same address were also convicted for their roles in the neglect:
- Tony Lippett (Sharon’s son): Convicted of wilful neglect and child cruelty. The girl reported he would “whack” her while his mother watched and laughed.
- Kyle Marshall (Sharon’s partner): Convicted of wilful neglect. He was accused of telling the child to eat “dog poo” and threatening to cut her fingers off.
Both men were remanded for sentencing at Bristol Crown Court on May 15.
Sentence and Monitoring
For her “serious” crimes in Gloucester, Sharon Lippett was:
- Sentenced to seven years in prison.
- Banned from working with children for life.
The judge emphasised that the victim has suffered lasting psychological, emotional, and developmental damage due to the “appalling” treatment she received.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Lippett is managed by Gloucestershire Constabulary. Her history of “vicious” child cruelty remains under “serious” scrutiny.
Specialist officers emphasise that cases of domestic cruelty require the public to be vigilant. The victim, who began making disclosures to foster carers after her rescue, is now receiving support to recover from her ordeal. Gloucestershire Constabulary emphasise that their safeguarding teams work closely with medical professionals to ensure that any child displaying suspicious injuries is protected immediately.
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