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Mother of 'Baby P' to be released from UK prison

Baby P's mother, Tracey Connelly, is to be freed from prison on the order of the British Parole B...
Newstalk
Newstalk

17.32 8 Oct 2013


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Mother of 'Baby P&...

Mother of 'Baby P' to be released from UK prison

Newstalk
Newstalk

17.32 8 Oct 2013


Share this article


Baby P's mother, Tracey Connelly, is to be freed from prison on the order of the British Parole Board. She was jailed indefinitely with a minimum of five years in May 2009 for causing or allowing her son Peter's death.

The Parole Board has recommended her release following a second review of her case.

A statement from the board said "We can confirm that a three-member panel of the board has directed the release of Tracey Connelly. Tracey Connelly first became eligible for parole in August 2012, and at that time a Parole Board panel made no recommendation to release".

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"This is the second parole review for Tracey Connelly. The decision to release is a matter for the board, which is independent. Arrangements and the date of the release are a matter for the (British) Secretary of State."

Baby P died on August 3rd 2007, aged 17 months, with more than 50 injuries. This was despite being on the at-risk register and receiving 60 visits from social workers, police and health professionals over eight months.

Connelly admitted the offence soon after being charged and served several hundred days on remand. It is thought she is currently being held at a jail near Durham in north-east England.

Connelly was given a so-called imprisonment for public protection (IPP) sentence, which carries a minimum term. An IPP sentence prisoner is eligible to be considered for release by the Parole Board when the minimum term is served.

When making its decision, the UK Parole Board takes into account a variety of matters including the nature of the offence, the prisoner's offending history and their behaviour in prison. Reports from psychologists, probation officers and prison officers are also taken into consideration.

Connelly will remain on licence for the rest of her life and would likely be recalled to custody if she breaches any of the conditions. Her son died at his home in Tottenham, north London, a day after police told Connelly she would not be prosecuted for abusing him.

Connelly was jailed along with her boyfriend Steven Barker and his brother Jason Owen, who were convicted of the same offence.

Barker was sentenced to life with a minimum of 10 years for raping a two-year-old girl and given a 12-year term to run concurrently for his "major role" in Peter's death.

Owen was jailed indefinitely with a minimum 3-year term but later won an appeal to lower it to a fixed six-year term. He was freed in August 2011 but was then recalled to prison again in April this year.


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