The mother who took no action

A NSPCC spokeswoman said: “This dreadful case has echoes of Baby Peter — a vulnerable toddler left at the mercy of a heartless thug.

“It is also another sickening example of how a violent bully has been able to worm his way into a home and carry out a campaign of terror against a child unchecked. Despite knowing that her daughter was being abused Violet’s mother took no action.

“If we are to put a full stop to this kind of tragedy everybody has to take responsibility for looking out for children and reporting any concerns they have to the authorities.”