A young boy who was "days from passing away" was locked in a room and "systematically starved" before social services discovered him and called the police.

The primary school-aged boy was taken to hospital "critically underweight" and malnourished.

A man and woman from Colchester were convicted of causing grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent and jailed for 12 and 11 years respectively at Ipswich Crown Court on Friday. The pair – who are not named to protect the identity of the boy – are white British nationals.

Essex Police said the boy was effectively "skin and bones" when he was found, and the "landmark" conviction under GBH with intent carries greater sentencing powers than child neglect.

The investigation began after social services located the child in the Colchester area in May 2020, during the UK's first Covid-19 lockdown.

"He was unsteady on his feet, frequently shook and had suffered significant muscle wastage," Essex Police said.

"Doctors suggested that any delay in medical attention could have been fatal."

Det Insp Luke Baldwin works at the Essex Police child abuse unit and said it was "one of the most severe cases" he had ever seen.

"This poor little boy was locked in this tiny little box bedroom day and night for a period of months," he said.

"He had no bedding, he had no clothing, he had no access to a toilet, and he was systematically starved, to the point where he was effectively skin and bones, and at the cusp of life."

Essex Police believe the "rare conviction" of GBH with intent reflects "the seriousness of the harm caused to the child".

It pursued this with the Crown Prosecution Service "to ensure the charges accurately reflected the extent of the victim's suffering and the deliberate nature of the offending".

Baldwin said: "Hopefully he feels that justice has been served.

"He's been looked after, he's being supported and has a loving family who have shown him what love and a family is."

Baldwin said it "meant a lot" to his colleagues and social care team "to finally get this conviction" and praised them for their "incredibly strong work".

He paid tribute to one particular officer who has since retired.

"His personal sacrifices and incredible diligence were instrumental in the couple being charged with GBH with intent," he said.

"But most of all my thoughts are with the young victim in this case, and every single member of our team truly hopes he is able to move forward."

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