Parole Board's 'high risk' fears for mother of Baby P as she launches freedom bid
The notorious mum of Baby P would pose a high risk if she were freed and given access to children, experts fear.
Tracey Connelly's toddler son died aged 17 months in 2007 after suffering more than 50 injuries over an eight-month period. Now 43, she is launching a fresh bid for freedom just months after being thrown back in jail for breaching licence conditions. Connelly herself does not even support a full unconditional release back into the public, the Parole Board will be told.
In a judgement ordering that a two-day parole hearing is heard in public, the Parole Board said: 'In the current psychological risk assessment, it is assessed that her risk of violence remains low. But risk would be high and potentially imminent if she were to have access to children while other risk factors are present. It comes after teachers found dead in murder-suicide leaving two kids, 3 and 5, without a mum.
Monitored
"Ms Connelly, in interview, has stated that she will not be seeking unconditional release due to the support she would lose.'
Connelly was jailed at the Old Bailey in 2009 for causing or allowing the death of Peter. She was released on licence in 2013 before being recalled for breaching parole conditions by selling nude snaps online in 2015.
Connelly – who had parole bids in 2015, 2017 and 2019 rejected – was then freed on licence in July 2022.
She was hauled back to jail in September for flouting the conditions of her release while living at a bail hostel. It was not clear how she breached her licence but she was placed on curfew and had to disclose relationships.
Connelly's internet and phone use was also monitored and she was barred from certain places. She had reinvented herself on a WeightWatchers forum as a woman named Connie.
Bullying
In documents, it is claimed she suffers PTSD and was subjected to 'bullying and aggression' after her recall to prison. Her solicitor fought for the upcoming parole hearing to be held in private.
The report states: 'He submits that a public hearing will only exacerbate these issues and will have a significant and detrimental effect upon Ms Connelly's ability to give effective and accurate evidence at the hearing.'
But the Parole Board decided the hearing would be public. Peter – initially referred to in news reports as Baby P – suffered 50 injuries, including a broken back and fractured ribs, at his home in Tottenham, North London.
The trial detailed missed opportunities to save Peter, and the way his mother stood by. Connelly, stepdad Steven Barker and Barker's brother Jason Owen were jailed over his death.
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The hearing, which has been listed for October 22 to 23 at an unconfirmed venue, is Tracey Connelly's first review since her second recall to prison in August last year for breaching her licence conditions. The now 44-year-old was jailed in 2009 for causing or allowing the death of her 17-month-old son Peter at their home in Tottenham, north London, on August 3 2007. Tracey Connelly's son Peter, known as Baby P, died after months of abuse in 2007 (ITV News/PA) The Parole Board received two applications for October's review to be held in public, which described Connelly's 'landmark case' as 'one of the most high-profile and devastating child protection failures in UK history' which 'permanently altered the conversation around safeguarding', according Judge Peter Rook KC's judgment. It was argued that the public still does not have access to the 'real details', citing that previous decisions around parole and recall have been made in private and a public hearing would 'provide crucial context to a case that remains deeply significant to the public'. A lawyer for Connelly argued against the hearing being made public, saying it poses a risk to her safety and that there is a 'high risk' her identity will be compromised as 'threats to her safety are real and current'. The legal representative also said Connelly has suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression, and that a public hearing will 'exacerbate' these issues and have a 'significant and detrimental effect' on her evidence at the parole hearing. But Judge Rook, on behalf of the chair of the Parole Board, said the lawyer acknowledged Connelly 'recovers well from these events'. According to his judgment, Connelly experienced 'offence-related bullying and aggression' after her recall to prison which 'led to a decline in her mental health' but the judge said she reportedly responded well, without resorting to violence, and has now 'stabilised'. Granting the application for October's hearing to be held in public, the judge said: 'There can be no doubt that there is a substantial public interest in this case. 'There is a strong public interest in the extent that Ms Connelly currently presents a risk and, if so, what measures are proposed in order to manage it.' He added that a public hearing could 'reassure' the public of the 'thoroughness' of the Parole Board's risk assessment and the probation resources which would be supervising her in the event of her release. 'This may go some way to address legitimate public concern about Ms Connelly,' judge Rook said. Connelly left prison in July 2022 after the Parole Board ruled she was suitable for release in March that year – having rejected three previous bids in 2015, 2017 and 2019 – 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. Condemning the move, Mr Raab said at the time this was proof the parole system needs a 'fundamental overhaul'. She had previously been released on licence in 2013 but was recalled to prison in 2015 for breaching her parole conditions.
