Barrow-in-Furness woman has sentence for child cruelty increased under Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme

A woman who administered needless and harmful medication to a child has been ordered to serve a longer prison sentence following a hearing at the Court of Appeal.

Elizabeth Faragher, 43, lied about symptoms the child was experiencing to medical practitioners.

Because of this, the child received a large amount of unnecessary and intrusive medical investigation and treatment, including prescribed injections.

Faragher also deliberately injected the child on 5 separate occasions with hypodermic needles contaminated with faeces.

On 28 July 2022, Faragher was sentenced to 5 years and 10 months’ imprisonment for one count of child cruelty and 5 counts of administering a noxious substance. The sentencing took place at Preston Crown Court.

Her sentence was then referred to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme for being too low.

On 21 October 2022, the Court found Faragher’s original sentence to be unduly lenient and imposed a new sentence of 8 years’ imprisonment.

Speaking after the hearing, HM Solicitor General Michael Tomlinson MP said:

This was a deeply upsetting case of child cruelty, and it was clear to me that Elizabeth Faragher’s shocking actions warranted a stronger prison sentence.

Today’s verdict shows that all forms of cruelty to children will be met with the strongest possible punishment.