Tracey Connelly's Parole Hearing to Resume in May After Adjournment
Tracey Connelly, the mother of Baby P, is set to reignite her bid for freedom as Parole Board officials announce they will reconvene a hearing next month. The case, which was adjourned in October last year, will now proceed over two days in May to assess whether Connelly still poses a risk to the public. This development comes just months after Connelly publicly admitted her role in the tragic death of her son, Peter, describing herself as "selfish" and acknowledging her failures as a mother.
Connelly's Public Admissions and Past Offences
During a previous Parole Board hearing, Connelly, 44, spoke openly about the events leading to Peter's death in 2007. She confessed that she refused to accept her partner, Steven Barker, was abusing the 17-month-old boy, who suffered over 50 injuries before dying in his blood-splattered cot. Connelly admitted she was "blinded by love" and prioritized her relationship over her children's safety, stating, "I wanted a Prince Charming." She also revealed she had slapped her children when she was not coping, rather than handling situations appropriately.
Connelly was originally jailed in 2009 for causing or allowing Peter's death, receiving a minimum five-year sentence under an Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) order. Since then, she has been released twice but recalled to prison on both occasions for breaching her licence conditions. In 2015, she was recalled after selling nude pictures online, and in 2024, she was returned to jail for failing to disclose a secret online relationship to probation services.
Details of the Upcoming Parole Board Hearing
The Parole Board hearing, scheduled for May 20 and 21, will involve both public and private sessions where evidence will be presented regarding Connelly's conduct in prison and her current risk level. Panel members will evaluate whether she should be released, remain in custody, or be transferred to an open prison. Connelly is expected to appear via video link from prison, where she works as an orderly and faces daily abuse and threats from other inmates.
In her previous testimony, Connelly acknowledged that she would pose a risk to children in her care, though not to those in public settings. She expressed remorse, saying, "I was a bad mother. I failed to protect them. I put my needs first." The hearing will also consider statements from Peter's family, described by the panel chair as "extremely moving," highlighting the lifelong harm caused by his death.
Connelly's Personal Struggles and Behaviour
Connelly has detailed various personal issues during hearings, including an "obsession with sex," involvement in BDSM fetishes, and visits to sex clubs. She admitted to using cannabis occasionally and described her childhood as "torture." Despite attempts to change her appearance, such as dyeing her hair, which she claimed was not for notoriety, she continues to face challenges in managing her past and relationships.
As the hearing approaches, the Parole Board will weigh these factors against public safety concerns, with a decision expected to impact Connelly's future and the ongoing legacy of the Baby P case.
