Lauren Wright: "Died in agony"

The couple, of Welney, Norfolk, were also found guilty of wilfully neglecting the child.

They had both denied the charges. The pair were remanded in custody awaiting sentence at a later date.

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) said the public response to Lauren's torment was "woefully inadequate".

After the case, Lauren's natural mother, Jennifer Bennett, 29, of South Mimms, Hertfordshire, said: "This has destroyed me. Social services should have taken her away."

She died after a final beating - emaciated, dehydrated and vomiting, with injuries akin to those of a road accident victim

Mary Marsh, NSPCC

Lauren went to live with her father in 1997.

The jury was told the child was regularly seen with bruises and was so malnourished her hair was falling out.

Neighbours eventually alerted social services seven weeks before she died.

Lauren died at her home in Welney in May last year.

Craig Wright argued in court that he did not know Lauren was being maltreated.

Lauren died at her home in Welney, Norfolk

But the post mortem examination revealed 60 bruises on the child's body.

The officer who headed the police investigation into Lauren Wright's death said Tracey Wright had mounted a "campaign of physical and emotional abuse against a defenceless child".

'Sadistic behaviour

Acting Chief Superintendent Martin Wright said: "There will be a significant amount of satisfaction in many quarters that she has been convicted.

"Her behaviour can only be described as vile and sadistic."

He added: "I think there is a definite difference between Tracey and Craig.

A simple wooden cross marks Lauren's grave

"Tracey was clearly the person who inflicted the harm on Lauren.

"There was never any suggestion that Craig had assaulted or ill-treated Lauren but at the end of the day he was her father, he had parental responsibility and he was in that house."

The NSPCC said the cruelty inflicted on Lauren was sickening.

The charity warned that reluctance to intervene in family life was leaving thousands of abused and neglected children with no-one to turn to.

Silent suffering

NSPCC director Mary Marsh said: "The public response to Lauren's private torment was woefully inadequate.

"Child protection is everyone's responsibility. It is not helpful to pin blame on individuals - effective child protection requires a good partnership between professionals and members of the public.

"Lauren Wright had no-one to turn to. No-one managed to help her escape from her torment of beatings, abuse and slow starvation.

"For months, she suffered in silence. She died in agony after a final beating - emaciated, dehydrated and vomiting, with injuries akin to those of a road accident victim.

"What happened to Lauren Wright could happen in any community, anywhere in the country."

The MP for South West Norfolk, former Education Secretary Gillian Shephard, called for a full public inquiry into Lauren's death.

She said the girl had been "betrayed by the whole system."

Child protection

Mrs Shephard said: "This tragic little girl was let down by all those who should have cared for her."

A Hertfordshire County Council spokesperson said: "When Hertfordshire Social Services were notified of Lauren's death there was an immediate case review to consider whether Lauren received the highest possible standards of care.

"When Lauren moved to Norfolk in May 1997, Norfolk Social Services were not told of her arrival and that she was still on Hertfordshire Social Services' child protection register.

"Correct procedures were not followed and the system has now been tightened to prevent this happening again."