The mother and father of a woman who died in an emaciated state left her to "fade into insignificance" have been jailed. Steffie Davies, 32, was found dead by paramedics who were called to her home in Wrexham, North Wales, in May 2023, Mold Crown Court heard on Wednesday.

Her parents, Alan and Bernita Davies – both 60, admitted causing or allowing the death of their daughter, who had anxiety and rarely left the house, NorthWales Live reports.

Ms Davies was "almost skeletal", with pressure sores and joint contractures which would have prevented her from eating or drinking without assistance, the court was told, NorthWalesLive reports.

Today, they were sentenced to eight years behind bars. They must complete two thirds of that term before being freed on licence. A judge declared they permitted their daughter to perish "in the most inhumane way possible, suffering in the most extreme neglect".

Andrew Jones KC, prosecuting, said she had dirty matted hair, with possible lice eggs in, suspected fungal infections on her skin and the bed she was found in was "sodden".

In a statement, Ms Davies' sister said she had shown potential at college, where she studied animal care, but her anxiety grew as she got older and she found it hard to leave the house.

The older sibling, who was not named in court and had been estranged from their parents for a number of years, said: "With the right support and encouragement from my mum and dad, she could have done so much with her life.

"Instead she was left to fade into insignificance in the most inhumane way possible. No sentence could ever be able to atone for that."

Distressing photos of her injuries were not shown in court after Mrs Justice Stacey said she wanted to "preserve, if possible, some of Steffie's dignity in death".

The court heard a recording of the 999 call made by Mrs Davies to report her daughter's death at about 8.30am on May 26 2023.

Mrs Davies could be heard crying in the call, in which she told an operator her daughter was "cold" and "like a skeleton".

Mr Jones said Mrs Davies told officers she attended to her daughter at 9pm on May 24 2023, when she was in bed reading, and checked on her a number of times the following day when she appeared to be asleep, before finding her dead on May 26.

Mr Jones said: "In all probability, she had been dead long before that."

The court heard it was not possible to establish when Ms Davies died, but ulcers on her body had been there for at least six weeks, according to an expert.

Ms Davies, recorded as weighing five stone nine pounds and being five foot seven inches tall, died from sepsis due to infected pressure ulcers, very low body weight and poor nutritional status, a pathologist found.

Her ground floor bedroom was in an "appalling state", in a "marked contrast" to the clean condition of the rest of the home in Pandy, Mr Jones said.

Mr and Mrs Davies, who both made no comment in police interviews, were initially charged with gross negligence manslaughter – but guilty pleas to the charge of causing or allowing their daughter's death were accepted earlier this year.

Maria Masselis, defending Mrs Davies, said: "The defendant's plea is a public acknowledgement that she failed her daughter in terms of providing adequate care. That's a responsibility that will stay with her for the rest of her life."

The court heard the couple had been together for 34 years and had three children, as well as an 18-month-old grandchild they were in contact with.

Simon Rogers, defending Mr Davies, said: "This is not a case where the defendant felt any malevolence towards Steffie, there is no ill feeling towards her, he never wished her harm, yet he must accept that through his inaction that led to her death."