The mother of Baby P, who died after months of abuse, has admitted that she can be manipulative and opportunistic, as she continued her bid for freedom after almost a year’s pause.
Tracey Connelly, now in her 40s, also told her parole hearing that she “hated every minute” of hearing about the “lifelong” pain and suffering of her victims.
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.
Tracey Connelly (Metropolitan Police/PA)
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Her then-boyfriend, Steven Barker, and his brother, Jason Owen, were convicted of the same crime.
Known publicly as Baby P, Peter had suffered more than 50 injuries, despite being on the at-risk register and receiving 60 visits from social workers, police officers and health professionals over eight months.
Public parole hearings took place for Connelly last October, but the case was adjourned for almost a year after the panel decided there needed to be a further psychological assessment and a forensic examination of the mobile phone Connelly used in the community before her recall in August 2024 for breaching licence conditions.
Asked whether she would accept descriptions of her as manipulative and opportunistic as she gave evidence on Tuesday, Connelly said: “The terminology is not nice.
“As much as I would like to say no, I have lied, I have deceived, so I have to accept that is fair.”
She denied being skilful at deceit, saying: “I don’t necessarily think I’m that skilful because their risk management plan has worked – they found out I was doing wrong and they called me back for it. I’m back in prison.
“I just think I make mistakes and I kind of get myself into this loop and I suddenly struggle to get out of it.”
Earlier, the panel heard private statements read on behalf of members of Peter’s family – who are “statutory victims” – about the ongoing impact of his death and their concerns about Connelly’s potential release.
Asked how it felt hearing those statements, Connelly told the parole hearing: “I hated every minute of it because I know that their pain and their suffering is on me.
“I made decisions and choices that led to every moment of their pain and suffering and I can never apologise for that.
“I understand that my impact on them has been lifelong.”
Steven Barker (Metropolitan Police/PA)
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Members of Peter’s family requested that certain conditions be put in place to protect them if Connelly’s release is granted, the panel said.
Parole hearings are usually held in private, but a judge previously approved applications for Connelly’s review to be heard in public, concluding “there can be no doubt that there is a substantial public interest” in the case.
A series of reviews identified missed opportunities for officials to save Peter’s life had they reacted properly to warning signs.
Connelly had admitted the offence of causing or allowing the death of her son and was handed a sentence of imprisonment for public protection with a minimum term of five years.
Connelly left prison in July 2022 after the Parole Board ruled she was suitable for release in March that year – after hearing she was considered to be at “low risk of committing a further offence” and that probation officers and prison officials supported the plan.
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.
Then-justice secretary Dominic Raab appealed against the decision, but a judge rejected his bid to keep her behind bars.
She had previously been released on licence in 2013 but was recalled to prison in 2015 for breaching her parole conditions.
Officials rejected three previous bids in 2015, 2017 and 2019 for Connelly to be released.
The hearing continues.