TRAGIC CASE OF TIFFANY WRIGHT AND FAILURE OF CHILD PROTECTION IN SHEFFIELD
| Red Rose Database
Sheffield Lincoln Sexual Abuser
In August 2018, Sabrina Hirst, now living in Ruislip, West London, is known to have updated her Facebook profile under the name Adelle Donnison, residing in Lincoln. Her earlier story, however, remains a heartbreaking example of systemic failure and neglect.
In July 2014, it was revealed that Sabrina Hirst, the mother who allowed her three-year-old daughter Tiffany Wright to die alone and malnourished in a locked flat above a pub in Sheffield, had been released early from her 12-year sentence for manslaughter, serving only four years. During her day release, she even visited Downing Street, prompting outrage and accusations of injustice.
Tiffany Wright was discovered dead in 2007 in a filthy room above the Scarborough Arms pub in Upperthorpe, Sheffield. She had been dead for approximately two days when police responded after the pub’s disco ended on a Sunday night; her mother had not checked on her since the previous Friday morning. Police found her body in a bed infested with beetles, her skin covered in insect bites, her eyes sunken, resembling a porcelain doll, court records later described.
Hirst admitted responsibility for her daughter’s death. In 2008, trial judge Recorder Alan Goldsack QC described the case as "about as bad a case of child manslaughter as there can be," and sentenced her to 12 years in prison. Her husband, Robert Hirst, aged 44, was imprisoned for five years after admitting child cruelty and neglect. Prosecutor Jeremy Richardson QC highlighted Sabrina’s neglect: "Tiffany had not been seen for about a week by anyone other than her mother before her body was discovered. Much of the time her mother didn’t feed Tiffany properly or at all."
The court learned that Tiffany’s bones showed signs of severe malnutrition, and a pathologist confirmed she had been starved for long periods. On her last day alive, Sabrina was reportedly more concerned about her dogs’ weight than her daughter's wellbeing, discussing dog feeding issues over the phone as Tiffany was left to die.
Despite her sentence, Sabrina Hirst was released on license in 2013 after serving half her term, with her remand time considered. She later changed her name to Adelle Shaw. She even managed to visit Downing Street, using her boyfriend's military ID to get through security, and now works for a youth support charity in London, commuting from Lincoln.
Former friends and critics condemn her early release as a disgrace, warning she is merely fooling people with her new life.
During her 2008 trial, Jeremy Richardson QC described Tiffany’s neglect: "Most members of the public will find it impossible to understand how you can treat your child this way," and highlighted that Tiffany’s last days were marked by neglect and dehydration, with her skeleton showing the effects of prolonged starvation.
The circumstances surrounding Tiffany’s death expose failure at numerous levels—systemic, community, and familial. Despite warning signs and multiple interventions, professionals failed to act decisively. Midwife Kathleen Delaney raised concerns after discovering Tiffany and her brother in a severely neglected state, but her reports resulted in little follow-up due to overburdened social services.
By July 2007, the last time a health visitor saw Tiffany, she was profoundly malnourished; her body had deteriorated to the point where she was described as a "bag of bones." Neighbors, friends, and family had watched her suffering but did not intervene or call for help.
The police investigations revealed the full extent of neglect. CCTV footage captured Sabrina and Rob’s conversations, revealing Sabrina’s awareness of her daughter’s condition and her attempts to conceal her death until days later. The final hours showed her cleaning the pub, dressing Tiffany post-mortem, and her distress upon realizing her daughter had been dead for two days.
A Sheffield social services review cited "serious failings," noting the lack of coordination between health and social care professionals and the failure to properly investigate or address warning signals. Understaffing and reliance on unqualified personnel hampered protective efforts. The review made over 30 recommendations for reform.
In the aftermath, authorities increased funding and restructured child protection services, but progress remained slow. Community members lamented their silence, and some admitted they had suspected problems but chose not to act.
The tragic case underscores the growing problem of child neglect, with the NSPCC warning that social workers often delay interventions until physical abuse manifests, resulting in missed opportunities to save vulnerable children. Tiffany Wright’s death remains a stark reminder of societal failure to protect its weakest.
Ultimately, Tiffany’s remains were taken to Sheffield’s Grenoside Crematorium in a white coffin, with a floral tribute bearing the nickname "Nutmeg." Sabrina, awaiting release, expressed her grief in prison, saying she missed her daughter terribly and wished she could bring her back. She kept Tiffany’s ashes at the funeral home, awaiting her eventual release, hoping to be reunited with her daughter, whom she described as the only good thing from her teenage years.
In July 2014, it was revealed that Sabrina Hirst, the mother who allowed her three-year-old daughter Tiffany Wright to die alone and malnourished in a locked flat above a pub in Sheffield, had been released early from her 12-year sentence for manslaughter, serving only four years. During her day release, she even visited Downing Street, prompting outrage and accusations of injustice.
Tiffany Wright was discovered dead in 2007 in a filthy room above the Scarborough Arms pub in Upperthorpe, Sheffield. She had been dead for approximately two days when police responded after the pub’s disco ended on a Sunday night; her mother had not checked on her since the previous Friday morning. Police found her body in a bed infested with beetles, her skin covered in insect bites, her eyes sunken, resembling a porcelain doll, court records later described.
Hirst admitted responsibility for her daughter’s death. In 2008, trial judge Recorder Alan Goldsack QC described the case as "about as bad a case of child manslaughter as there can be," and sentenced her to 12 years in prison. Her husband, Robert Hirst, aged 44, was imprisoned for five years after admitting child cruelty and neglect. Prosecutor Jeremy Richardson QC highlighted Sabrina’s neglect: "Tiffany had not been seen for about a week by anyone other than her mother before her body was discovered. Much of the time her mother didn’t feed Tiffany properly or at all."
The court learned that Tiffany’s bones showed signs of severe malnutrition, and a pathologist confirmed she had been starved for long periods. On her last day alive, Sabrina was reportedly more concerned about her dogs’ weight than her daughter's wellbeing, discussing dog feeding issues over the phone as Tiffany was left to die.
Despite her sentence, Sabrina Hirst was released on license in 2013 after serving half her term, with her remand time considered. She later changed her name to Adelle Shaw. She even managed to visit Downing Street, using her boyfriend's military ID to get through security, and now works for a youth support charity in London, commuting from Lincoln.
Former friends and critics condemn her early release as a disgrace, warning she is merely fooling people with her new life.
During her 2008 trial, Jeremy Richardson QC described Tiffany’s neglect: "Most members of the public will find it impossible to understand how you can treat your child this way," and highlighted that Tiffany’s last days were marked by neglect and dehydration, with her skeleton showing the effects of prolonged starvation.
The circumstances surrounding Tiffany’s death expose failure at numerous levels—systemic, community, and familial. Despite warning signs and multiple interventions, professionals failed to act decisively. Midwife Kathleen Delaney raised concerns after discovering Tiffany and her brother in a severely neglected state, but her reports resulted in little follow-up due to overburdened social services.
By July 2007, the last time a health visitor saw Tiffany, she was profoundly malnourished; her body had deteriorated to the point where she was described as a "bag of bones." Neighbors, friends, and family had watched her suffering but did not intervene or call for help.
The police investigations revealed the full extent of neglect. CCTV footage captured Sabrina and Rob’s conversations, revealing Sabrina’s awareness of her daughter’s condition and her attempts to conceal her death until days later. The final hours showed her cleaning the pub, dressing Tiffany post-mortem, and her distress upon realizing her daughter had been dead for two days.
A Sheffield social services review cited "serious failings," noting the lack of coordination between health and social care professionals and the failure to properly investigate or address warning signals. Understaffing and reliance on unqualified personnel hampered protective efforts. The review made over 30 recommendations for reform.
In the aftermath, authorities increased funding and restructured child protection services, but progress remained slow. Community members lamented their silence, and some admitted they had suspected problems but chose not to act.
The tragic case underscores the growing problem of child neglect, with the NSPCC warning that social workers often delay interventions until physical abuse manifests, resulting in missed opportunities to save vulnerable children. Tiffany Wright’s death remains a stark reminder of societal failure to protect its weakest.
Ultimately, Tiffany’s remains were taken to Sheffield’s Grenoside Crematorium in a white coffin, with a floral tribute bearing the nickname "Nutmeg." Sabrina, awaiting release, expressed her grief in prison, saying she missed her daughter terribly and wished she could bring her back. She kept Tiffany’s ashes at the funeral home, awaiting her eventual release, hoping to be reunited with her daughter, whom she described as the only good thing from her teenage years.