Baby P's mother 'fears prison attack and asked for more protection' weeks before release

3 April 2022, 22:50

Baby P's mother reportedly fears she is going to be attacked in prison by fellow inmates and has asked guards for extra protection.

Tracey Connelly, 40, fears she will be killed in a 'prison knife attack' and is afraid to leave her cell, the Mirror reports.

The paper said a source claimed she was worried the renewed publicity about her case would prompt the attack.

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It was announced on Wednesday that Connelly is due to be freed following a fourth review by the Parole Board since she was jailed.

The decision was meant to be made last year but had been delayed pending more reports and information.

Connelly was let out on licence in 2013 but was recalled to prison in 2015 for breaching her parole conditions.

The Parole Board considered her case for a third time in 2019 following previous reviews in 2015 and 2017, and refused to either release her or move her to an open prison.

In 2020 she lost an appeal against the latest Parole Board decision not to release her.

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Peter Connelly - known as Baby P - died after suffering more than 50 injuries at the hands of Tracey Connelly’s paedophile partner Steven Barker and his brother Jason Owen.

Connelly was jailed at the Old Bailey in 2009 for causing or allowing the death of her 17-month-old son Peter at their home in Tottenham, north London, on August 3 2007.

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On Wednesday Justice Secretary Dominic Raab announced he would challenge the Parole Board's decision.

He said: "Madame Deputy Speaker with your forbearance before I go on to address the detail of the statement, can I also just update the House on the recent news this morning, because in light of the Parole Board's direction to release Tracey Connelly, I should inform the House that having carefully read the decision, I have decided to apply to the Parole Board to seek their reconsideration."