Baby P’s jailed mother Tracey Connolly bids for re-release

“Extremely touching” victim testimonies were heard from the child’s loved ones at the parole hearing held to decide whether Baby P’s mother, who was imprisoned for her death after months of abuse, would be released again.

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 August 3, 2007.

A public hearing is being held to decide whether he can be released again or moved to free conditions.

Sally Allbeury of the parole board panel said at Wednesday’s hearing that she heard private comments from Peter’s loved ones about their concerns about granting parole.

“These statements told the panel about the ongoing impact of Peter’s death on the writers and their concerns about the potential release of Ms. Connelly,” Ms. Allbeury said.

“They also each requested that certain conditions be put in place to protect them should Ms. Connelly be released.

“We found these statements extremely touching.

“There is no doubt that Peter’s death left a lifelong scar on those who loved him.”

Now in his 40s, Connolly was recalled to prison last year for breaching his license conditions. He was originally scheduled to leave prison in 2022 following a successful parole bid.

The parole board ruled that he was eligible for release in March of that year, after hearing that he was considered a “low risk of committing a new crime” and that parole officers and prison officials supported the plan.

This was despite the panel highlighting concerns about Connelly’s ability to manipulate and deceive and hearing evidence of how he was involved in prison romances and exchanged secret love letters with a prisoner.

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

He was previously released on license in 2013 but was recalled to prison in 2015 for breaching his parole conditions.

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

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

Connelly pleaded guilty to causing or allowing the death of his son and was sentenced to at least five years in prison for public protection.

Barker and Owen were convicted of the same crime.

A series of reviews found that authorities had missed an opportunity to save Peter’s life had they not reacted appropriately to warning signs.

Parole hearings are usually held in secret, but a judge approved applications for a public hearing into Connelly’s review, finding “there can be no doubt that there is a significant public interest” in the case.

Parole hearings are usually held in secret, but a judge approved applications for a public hearing into Connelly’s review, finding “there can be no doubt that there is a significant public interest” in the case.

The parole board received two applications for the review to be open to the public; this submission described Connelly’s “landmark case” as “one of the most high-profile and devastating child protection failures in UK history”.