Abuse Survivor Condemns Early Release of Mother After Child Cruelty Sentence
A woman who endured years of severe childhood abuse has expressed outrage after her birth mother was released from prison after serving only eight months of a 20-month sentence for cruelty.
Caroline Eshghi, from Cornwall, says she was subjected to repeated physical abuse, including being beaten, burned, starved, and held underwater during a 12-year period of sustained violence. A judge previously described the case as a “dreadful catalogue of cruelty and abuse.”
Eshghi reported the abuse to police in 2019, leading to an investigation by Avon and Somerset Police. Her mother, Melanie Burmingham, was later charged with child cruelty and initially received a suspended sentence before the Court of Appeal ordered a custodial term.
However, Burmingham was released early in January 2026 after serving just eight months, prompting renewed criticism from Eshghi, who says the justice system has failed survivors of historical abuse cases.
She is now campaigning for changes to sentencing rules, arguing that outdated legal limits for historic offences mean abusers receive disproportionately lenient punishments compared to modern standards. Under current law, older cases of child cruelty can carry significantly lower maximum sentences than those applied today.
The Ministry of Justice says courts must follow the sentencing laws in place at the time of the offence but insists judges still consider the seriousness of harm caused. It also highlighted ongoing investment in victim support services.
Eshghi has launched a petition with more than 40,000 signatures and says she plans to present it to Parliament, arguing that justice should reflect the lasting impact of child abuse regardless of when it occurred.
