Tracey Connelly, the mother of Baby P, will remain in jail after the Parole Board ruled that she should not be freed or moved to an open prison. 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. The toddler 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 returned to prison two years later for breaching her parole conditions. She was subsequently refused parole in 2015 and again in 2017. The Parole Board stated that after considering the circumstances of her offending, progress in custody and evidence at the hearing, Connelly was not suitable for release or transfer to open conditions.
The board added: '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.' Connelly will be eligible for another parole review in due course. Her boyfriend, Steven Barker, and his brother, Jason Owen, were also jailed in 2009 for causing or allowing Peter's death.
