SHIPLEY MP Philip Davies has failed in a bid to get a longer prison sentence for a mother who inflicted nearly two years of abuse on her young son.

Mr Davies asked Attorney General Jeremy Wright to re-examine the sentences handed out to the mother and her friend at Bradford Crown Court last month.

The five year old was beaten with a stiletto and an iron rod and locked in a cupboard for hours. The court heard he was subjected to “barbaric and vile” assaults and “imprisoned” in a sealed cupboard and had a gash to his head stuck with superglue instead of being taken to hospital.

Mr Davies said the sentence of two-and-a-half years for the mother and four years for the friend was insulting, and unduly lenient.

He said: “This poor boy must have suffered terribly. He appears to have been singled out as the only one to receive these horrific beatings in the family and the only child to be left behind for hours on end. Any mother who inflicted this kind of abuse or stood by and watched someone else do it should be sent to prison for a long time.

“I am disappointed that the sentences in this tragic case have not been increased as I believe they are outrageously low. I only hope that these vile people suffer being locked inside a cell - which is just one of the things they inflicted on this little defenceless boy.”

Attorney General Jeremy Wright said the sentences imposed were within the guidelines.

Responding to Mr Davies, he wrote: “I conclude the sentences imposed were not unduly lenient. I have reached this conclusion because it cannot be said that the sentencing judge fell into clear error at any stage at the sentencing process. He correctly identified the seriousness of their (the mother and friend) offending. He then imposed sentences of imprisonment on them in accordance with the guidelines.”

Mr Davies who has successfully asked the Attorney General to appeal unduly lenient sentences on a number of occasions in previous years, said: “If these sentences are within the guidelines then the guidelines are clearly not right”.