Riley Siswick's mother has sentence for causing or allowing his death reduced following appeal

Kayleigh Siswick was sentenced to seven years in prison in June 2019 after being found guilty of causing or allowing the death of her son, Riley Siswick, while her partner Kyle Campbell was jailed for life after being convicted of murder.

During their trial at Leeds Crown Court, jurors heard that Riley was injured in his abdomen by Campbell on February 4 2016, “either from a fist, or by jumping or stamping on him or by striking him with an object”.

When paramedics arrived at their home in Huddersfield two days later, Riley had been dead for a number of hours, the court heard.

Barrister Jamie Hill QC, representing Siswick, said her culpability was assessed as high during sentencing at Leeds Crown Court due to her failure to take steps to protect her son.

“My submission is she was unaware that very significant force has been used on February 4 and indeed over the 36 hours that followed,” he said.

“This was a case where she was convicted on the basis of allowing death rather than causing it.”

He said an assessment found Siswick had the mental age of an 11-year-old and was “quite unassertive and seriously damaged” from past abusive relationships.

Lord Justice Popplewell, who heard the appeal with two other judges, said the sentencing judge reached the wrong conclusion when assessing her culpability.

He added: “Primary responsibility rests on Campbell who is serving a lengthy sentence.”

Siswick sat motionless as Lord Justice Popplewell gave his judgment.

Robert Smith QC, prosecuting, told jurors at Campbell and Siswick’s trial that the blow had injured Riley so severely that his bowel was severed, spilling his stomach contents internally, which caused peritonitis – a life-threatening infection.

Mr Smith said this would have caused severe pain which “would have been obvious to the person who caused the injury or any adult who saw him after the injury was sustained”.

He said the boy would have deteriorated and developed septic shock.

Mr Smith said Siswick failed to seek medical help for her son and “instead, she chose to protect Kyle Campbell”.

He said paramedics were eventually called to the house on Smiths Avenue on the morning of Saturday February 6 but Riley had been dead for a number of hours.