Mother of Baby P begins latest bid for release

A parole hearing to decide whether to re-release the mother of Baby P, who was jailed over his death following months of abuse, has heard "extremely moving" victim statements from the child's loved ones.

Tracey Connelly was jailed at the Old Bailey in 2009 for causing or allowing the death of her 17-month-old son Peter - known as Baby P - at their home in Tottenham, north London, on 3 August 2007.

The public hearing is being held to decide whether she can be re-released or if she can be moved to open conditions.

Sally Allbeury from the parole board panel told the hearing on Wednesday that it had heard statements by Peter's loved ones in private about their concerns about parole being granted.

"Those statements told the panel about the ongoing impact on the authors' of Peter's death and their concerns about Ms Connelly's potential release," Ms Allbeury said.

"Each one has also requested in the event of Ms Connelly's release that certain conditions be put in place to protect them.

"We found these statements extremely moving.

"There can be no doubt that Peter's death has caused lifelong harm to those who loved him."

Now in her 40s, Connolly was recalled to prison last year after breaching her licence conditions, having initially left prison in 2022 following a successful parole bid.

The parole board ruled she was suitable for release in March that year - after hearing she was considered to be at "low risk of committing a further offence" and that probation officers and prison officials supported the plan.

This was despite the panel highlighting concerns over Connelly's ability to manipulate and deceive, and hearing evidence of how she had become embroiled in prison romances and traded secret love letters with an inmate.

Then-justice secretary Dominic Raab appealed against the decision, but a judge rejected his bid to keep her behind bars.

She had previously been released on licence in 2013 but was recalled to prison in 2015 for breaching her parole conditions.

Three previous parole bids, in 2015, 2017 and 2019, were rejected.

Peter was found dead in his cot in 2007 following months of violent abuse by Connolly, her boyfriend Steven Barker, and his brother, Jason Owen.

Connelly had admitted the offence of causing or allowing the death of her son and was handed a sentence of imprisonment for public protection with a minimum term of five years.

Barker and Owen were convicted of the same crime.

A series of reviews identified missed opportunities for officials to save Peter's life had they reacted properly to warning signs.

Parole hearings are usually held in private, but a judge approved applications for Connelly's review to be heard in public, concluding "there can be no doubt that there is a substantial public interest" in the case.

Parole hearings are usually held in private, but a judge approved this to be heard in public because of "substantial public interest" in the case, described by the board as "one of the most high-profile and devastating child protection failures in UK history".