The mother of Baby P, the unnamed young child who was abused to his death, might be released from prison only months after being recalled. Tracey Connelly, 42, faced a return to prison for violating her licence conditions in September, marking the second occasion she has been dragged back to custody for flouting release rules.
Amid public outcry, she has learnt that her case is going before the Parole Board for the fifth time, which holds the authority to either sanction her immediate freedom or dismiss the appeal – potentially extending her imprisonment by another two years.
Back in 2009, Connelly was handed down an indefinite sentence with a minimum term of five years for concealing her 17-month-old son’s gruesome injuries and allowing his death under her care at their Tottenham home in North London. The child endured over 50 injuries over eight months leading to his passing on August 3, 2007.
Given her indefinite sentence, the prospect of Connelly’s eventual release lies with the Parole Board. An insider revealed, “Connelly believes the Parole Board will rule in her favour.”
It’s understood that Connelly’s legal representatives will argue she poses no further threat to society, according to Mail Online. Connelly herself contends the police were heavy-handed in sending her back to jail a second time, claiming the infractions of her licence terms were negligible.
She was first put back behind bars in 2015 after selling nude photos on the internet, and yet again, she found herself recalled just over two years post-release, reports the Mirror. Facing stringent licence conditions upon release—like electronic tagging, declaring her relationships, monitored web use, and sticking to a curfew, Connelly also faced restrictions on where she could go, specifically to avoid victims and protect children.
The Parole Board said: “We can confirm the parole review of Tracey Connelly has been referred to the Parole Board by the Secretary of State for Justice and is following standard processes.”
Adding that “Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community.”
