Baby P’s mother should not be freed, says Parole Board | Baby P

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Tracey Connelly, the mother of Baby P, who died after months of abuse, should not be freed from jail or moved to an open prison, the Parole Board has decided.

In a statement, the board said a “key intervention remained to be completed” and that the benefits of releasing Connelly were “outweighed by the remaining risks that [she] represents”.

Connelly was jailed indefinitely with a minimum term of five years in May 2009 for causing or allowing the death of her 17-month-old son, Peter. He had suffered more than 50 injuries despite being on an at-risk register and receiving 60 visits from social workers, police and health professionals over eight months.

She was released in 2013 but was returned to prison two years later for breaching her parole conditions. She was subsequently refused parole in 2015 and again in 2017.

Outlining its reasons for keeping Connelly in jail, the board said: “After considering the circumstances of her offending, the progress made while in custody and the evidence presented at the hearing, the panel’s view was that Ms Connelly was not suitable for release. Furthermore, the panel did not recommend to the secretary of state that Ms Connelly should be transferred to an open prison.

“Given that a key intervention remained to be completed, the panel considered that Ms Connelly was appropriately located in closed conditions where remaining levels of risk should be addressed. The benefits of a move to open conditions at this time were considered to be limited and to be outweighed by the remaining risks that Ms Connelly represents.

“She will be eligible for another parole review in due course.”

Connelly’s boyfriend, Steven Barker, and Barker’s brother, Jason Owen, were also jailed in 2009 for causing or allowing Peter Connelly’s death.

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