The Crown says a Saskatchewan couple who starved their granddaughter and kept her in a basement room should go to jail for four to five years.

Prosecutor Mitch Crumley told Court of Queen's Bench in Regina that the couple had a duty to care for the girl, who went to live with them when she was just over two years old.

Instead, Crumley said, she was locked "virtually in a dungeon."

"This particular conduct, treating (her) this way for a prolonged period of time was absolutely deplorable," Crumley said as he asked for jail time.

The grandparents, who cannot be identified, were found guilty Feb. 3 of failing to provide the necessities of life.

Court heard the girl was born in British Columbia, but was taken away from her drug-addicted mother. The grandparents won custody in 2007.

A family member testified during the trial last month that the girl was kept on a cement floor in a windowless room in the couple's home in the Fort Qu'Appelle area, east of Regina.

There was medical testimony that the girl had a broken collar bone, among other injuries, but there were no records that she had received any medical treatment.

The little girl weighed 12 kilograms when she was taken from the couple's home in 2008. Three doctors examined her and found that her stomach was distended, her arms and legs were very thin and there was excessive hair on her torso. Their diagnosis was unanimous -- malnutrition.

The couple, who are representing themselves, argued at the trial that the girl's low weight was directly linked to a lack of social assistance from the B.C. and Saskatchewan governments.

The grandmother also said she couldn't take the girl to a hospital or clinic because the B.C. government refused to provide the information she needed to get a Saskatchewan health card for the child.

Judge Frank Gerein rejected all of their submissions and found them guilty.

Crumley said in his sentencing arguments that the couple have shown no remorse.

"They seem to be taking the position that they're blaming other people instead of taking responsibility for their own actions," he said.

"In reality, (they) are the ones who are ultimately responsible for the care of (the child). If they found her care too overwhelming, their obligation was to cry for help and turn her over to someone else. They didn't do that."

The couple had been expected to make their sentencing submissions Monday, but instead asked for a pre-sentence report -- something usually requested earlier in proceedings. They told the court they didn't know they should have asked for the report earlier.

Gerein said he would adjourn the case with "much regret" for six weeks so a report can be prepared.

"I wish the request had been made at the very outset of this whole sentencing process," he said.

"I say it somewhat in jest, but I can't resist saying it: you're going to be dead by the time this thing is finished. We keep postponing it. It's gone far too long already.

"But I recognize you don't have counsel. You don't understand the procedures."

Gerein said he wants the pre-sentence report and reference letters from the couple by April 4 and would hear their submissions April 5.

"I don't want you to come on April the 5th and say, 'Well, now we want to give those letters of support.' I want them filed no later than April the 4th, the same date as the pre-sentence report.

"Do you understand that?"

The couple said they did.