Legal News

On Tuesday 8 October 2012, Natasha Sultan killed her six week old baby while suffering from severe postnatal depression. The death was caused by a single blow to the head.

She was sentenced at Hull Crown Court on Tuesday 12 November 2013, for infanticide over the death of her daughter Amelia-Lily, but she was spared jail by the judge. She was originally due to be tried for murder, but she pleaded guilty to infanticide.

Judge Jeremy Richardson QC gave her a three year supervision order. She was also warned that if she were to have any more children in the future, the social services department would intervene. It is likely that she would not be allowed to raise any children in the future.

The judge chose not to imprison Natasha Sultan on the grounds that she was already an “utterly broken woman” who will have to live with herself for the rest of her life. This is a burden which will never be lifted.

The maximum term for infanticide is life imprisonment. Judge Richardson, however, said that: "A short prison sentence would be inappropriate. A long prison sentence would be unjust." This certainly makes a good case study for criminal lawyers who may be defending similar cases in future.

Judge Richardson recognised that Natasha Sultan’s actions were as a result of postnatal depression. At the time, she was suffering from an unbalanced mind which resulted in a “sudden explosion of violence”. In summing up, he said that many mothers would understand her situation.

After the attack, Natasha Sultan went to bed and slept. She neglected the obvious requirement that her daughter had for urgent medical attention.

Natasha Sultan had lied to doctors about what had happened and also lied on many occasions to the police who were investigating the death. Ms Sultan had claimed that the injuries resulted from a tragic accident, and even demonstrated to the police how it may have happened.

Judge Richardson said in court that there are no sentencing guidelines for such cases. While it was clear that Natasha Sultan had violently killed her daughter and then attempted to cover up the evidence and claim it was an accident, it was also obvious that she was suffering from severe mental health problems brought on by the pressures of becoming a new mother.

Judge Richardson also stated that the case had “passed the custody threshold”, meaning that the crime was so serious that neither a fine nor a community sentence could be justified. Usually a prison sentence would be passed, but in this particular case the judge said: "However, you are an entirely broken woman and your disturbance of mind at the time, coupled with your guilty plea, enables me to take a different course.”

Ms Sultan has also been barred from engaging with children in regulated activities, and she is also permanently disqualified from working with children.

She left the court crying and being comforted by family members.