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Baby P’s mother is facing her first open parole hearing, after being recalled to prison for developing an intimate relationship with a man and failing to disclose it to those supervising her.
Tracey Connelly, now in her 40s, 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 3 August 2007.
The case received widespread attention and prompted an overhaul of social services, with three inquiries and a nationwide review assessing how authorities handle safeguarding of vulnerable children,
Known publicly as Baby P, he had suffered more than 50 injuries, including a broken back and ribs, despite receiving 60 visits from social workers, police officers and health professionals over eight months.
Connelly was first released in 2013 having served the minimum term of five years of an indefinite sentence for public protection (IPP), after admitting the offence of causing or allowing the death of her son.
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Baby P died after months of abuse while living with Tracey Connelly and her partner Steven Barker (PA Media)
She was recalled in 2015 after developing “intimate personal relationships via the internet” and inciting another resident at her accommodation to “engage in inappropriate behaviour”.
Now aged in her 40s, she 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.
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.
She was recalled again in August 2024 after failing to disclose another intimate relationship with a man she had met online, and deleting material on her phone to avoid being detected.
Parole hearings are usually held in private, but a judge approved applications for Connelly’s review to be heard in public, concluding it was a “landmark case” as “one of the most high-profile and devastating child protection failures in UK history”.
Her prison offender manager (POM) said that she recommended re-release in line with a management plan, stating that she was “more likely” to disclose future relationships as a result of the therapy programmes undertaken in custody.
Asked of the likelihood of her entering another “unhealthy relationship”, she responded: “That’s a difficult one. Based on discussions I’ve had with Tracey, I think she’s got an awareness of an unhealthy relationship and the warning signs of what that could be.”
She also said that Connelly had been “open and honest” in stating she would like a relationship in the future, but that they had not discussed “the method” in which she would go about seeking one.
When asked by psychologist panel member Fiona Ainsworth if Connelly had made any progress to “understanding why she’s getting in the same patterns of behaviour,” her POM said that the relationship had “made her feel good about herself”.
She had also voiced concerns that if she were to disclose her relationship, parole officers may insist that her convictions be disclosed to her new partner, which could leads to fear of “rejection”.
Asked if Connelly believes she would be a future risk to a child, the POM added she is “very aware” of risk assessments and has never sought to minimise that in discussions.
The panel also heard that she had been subjected to abuse and threats in jail, but had not retaliated during her last year in prison.
“I think she has managed that appropriately – reporting it to staff, seeking support from staff,” the POM said.
Asked if it still happens, the POM responded: “Unfortunately it does continue particularly when Tracey is going to work in the morning, but in terms of where she is located… she is more protected there.”
Statements from members of Peter’s family were not read aloud but the panel chair Sally Allbeury said: “We found these statements extremely moving. There can be no doubt Peter’s death has caused life-long harm to those who loved him and as such are also victims of Ms Connelly’s offending.”
Connelly’s former boyfriend Steven Barker, and his brother, Jason Owen, were also convicted of the same crime and imprisoned for mistreatment and death of Peter.
