A WICKED foster mother faces ten years behind bars after allegedly starving and “torturing” a little orphan boy so she could claim sickness benefits.

Lyubov Korotkova, from Magadan in east Russia, is accused of "extra cruelty, humiliation and torture" after depriving the lad, 11, of food and drugging him for eight years.

6 Valery Kondaurov pictured left when he was undernourished compared with a more recent healthy snap on the right Credit: Evelina Gevorkyan Facebook / east2west news

She allegedly fooled doctors into thinking he had a rare disease and spent the government benefits on “luxuries” for herself.

At the age of 11, her orphan foster son Valery Kondourov weighed less than two stone "putting his life in danger".

The little lad, who was reduced to skin and bone, was just 3ft 5inch tall, the size of a five-year-old.

Koprotkova - in her late 40s and now detained pending her criminal trial - is accused of deliberately planning to claim bogus benefits by malnourishing the child so that he appeared to be seriously ill.

6 Lyubov Korotkova, right, could face ten years in prison for the alleged torture Credit: Nadezhda Parkhun Vecherny Magadan / east2west news

She starved him and "made him take medical drugs to build up a clinical manifestation of a stomach disease", said a law enforcement source.

"Having cheated the doctors, she managed to register her child as handicapped... and started receiving financial assistance, compensation and other allowances."

She stole £20,000 in state benefits but also received money from charities - which she "frittered on luxuries", according to reports.

The charges against her include fraud and causing "deliberate health damage" to the child.

The case from Magadan came to light in May but after a criminal investigation Korotkova faces up to ten years in prison if convicted.

6 The wicked woman allegedly put the boy's life at risk by starving and drugging him in order to swindle benefits, it has been claimed Credit: REN-TV / east2west news

6 The 11-year-old is now receiving care and is expected to make a full recovery Credit: Ombudsman press-service / east2west news

Korotkova conned local officials who saw her as heroic for helping the "seriously ill" boy and, as recently as June, city mayor Yury Grishan demanded the child should be returned to her, it is claimed.

Kremlin children's ombudsman Anna Kuznetsova stepped in to prevent the child being given back to the foster mother.

Yet Valery had no medical condition apart from the damage caused by Korotkova, and is now recovering, it is alleged.

The woman hid her devious scheme from her own husband, Andrei, according to reports.

6 Valery, who is the same height as a five-year-old, is now gaining weight since being rescued by authorities Credit: MK / east2west news

6 The little orphan, pictured aged three, when he was first adopted by his cruel foster mum in east Russia Credit: Moskovsky Komsomolets / east2west news

She home-schooled the boy so that he wasn't seen by teachers.

The child was petrified of eating in the presence of his foster mother who fed him small quantities of porridge and fish before giving him drugs to make him sick.

At 11, he still fit in the same clothes he wore at the orphanage, aged three, when she began fostering him.

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