Stepfather of Baby P jailed over the his death loses parole bid

The stepfather of Baby P, who died after months of abuse, has lost his latest parole bid to be freed from jail.

Steven Barker was jailed for 12 years in 2009 for causing or allowing the death of 17-month-old Peter Connelly in Tottenham, north London, in 2007.

He was also handed a life sentence and ordered to service a minimum term of 10 years after being convicted of rape at a separate trial.

In a decision released on Tuesday, the Parole Board said: 'After considering the circumstances of his offending, the progress made while in custody and the evidence presented in the dossier, the panel was not satisfied that release at this point would be safe for the protection of the public.

'Nor did the panel recommend to the Secretary of State that Steven Barker should be transferred to an open prison.

'Given that key areas of risk remain to be addressed, the panel considered that he was appropriately located in a closed prison.'

Barker will face another parole review in around two years' time.

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Barker, 47, has spent 15 years in prison for torturing and killing 17-month-old Peter and for raping a two-year-old girl.

He has been denied parole four times since 2017 but was hopeful that his fifth would result in a full appeal and his eventual release.

Barker was among three people jailed in relation to the death of baby Peter in 2007.

Peter's mother Tracey Connelly, 42, was released in 2013 before being locked up again in 2015 for breaching her licence conditions.

She is alleged to have been selling naked photos of herself and 'developing intimate personal relationships' online.

She was released in July 2022, but recalled to prison again this month for breaching her license conditions a second time.

She was subject to 20 licence conditions, including having to wear an electronic tag and disclose all her relationships, having her internet use monitored and obey a curfew.

She was also banned from going to certain places to 'avoid contact with victims and to protect children'.

Barker's brother Jason Owen, 48, was given a six-year custodial sentence for allowing Baby P to die, but has been released.

Little Peter had suffered over 50 injuries, despite being on the at-risk register.

Social workers, police and health professionals made a total of 60 visits to his home over an eight-month period before he died.

His horrific injuries included a broken back, fractured shinbone, damage to the head, and blackened fingers and toes from cigarette burns.