The Court of Appeal has increased the jail terms of a mother and father who allowed their disabled daughter to become extremely overweight and die. The girl, Kaylea Titford, had spina bifida and was found dead at her home in Newtown, Powys in October 2020. Her parents, Sarah Lloyd-Jones and Alun Titford, neglected her care to the point where her health deteriorated and she passed away.
At the time of her death, Kaylea, who was 16 years old, weighed 22st 13lb with a BMI of 70. Lawyers from the Attorney General’s Office argued that the original sentences given to the parents were too lenient and should be increased.
During the trial, Alun Titford, who denied manslaughter by gross negligence, admitted that he had failed his daughter due to his own laziness, leaving the responsibility to his partner, Sarah Lloyd-Jones. Sarah Lloyd-Jones, a care worker and the mother of six children with Titford, had already pleaded guilty to the same charge.
Initially, Sarah Lloyd-Jones was sentenced to six years in prison, while Alun Titford received a sentence of seven years and six months. However, the Court of Appeal decided to increase Sarah Lloyd-Jones’ sentence to eight years and Alun Titford’s to 10 years, considering the extreme circumstances surrounding Kaylea’s death.
Kaylea was discovered in deplorable conditions, with dirty clothes and bedding, at their family home in Newtown, Powys. The conditions were described as unfit for any living being. The Attorney General’s Office emphasized the severity of the neglect, the prolonged suffering endured by the victim, Kaylea’s vulnerability and complete dependence on her parents for care, and the appalling living conditions that led to her death.
Sarah Lloyd-Jones attended the hearing via videolink from prison, while Alun Titford was not present when their sentences were increased by the Court of Appeal, presided by Lord Justice Popplewell, Mrs Justice McGowan, and His Honour Judge Bate. Lord Justice Popplewell described the circumstances surrounding Kaylea’s life and death as extreme, stating that she had been living in unimaginable squalor.
