Baby P's jailed stepfather's bid for freedom refused by judge

In 2009, Steven Barker was put behind bars for 12 years for causing or allowing the death of 17-month-old Peter Connelly.

The stepfather of Baby Peter Connelly has lost his latest parole bid to be freed from prison.

In 2009, Steven Barker was put behind bars for 12 years for causing or allowing the death of 17-month-old Peter Connelly, also known as Baby P, in Tottenham, north London, in 2007, reports the Mirror.

Baby Peter's horrific injuries included a broken back, fractured shinbone, damage to the head, and toes blackened from cigarette burns.

Barker has failed to achieve parole four times. The panel also decided that he should remain in a closed prison.

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."

His next parole review is in around two years' time. Nevres Kemal, the whistle-blowing former Haringey social worker who warned her bosses of failings six months before the tragedy in August 2007, previously told The Mirror: “Barker has never shown any remorse and has no shame. This is outrageous. It was prolonged and systematic abuse. I watched him in court. I warned something like that would happen in Haringey."

This comes after Baby P's mother was put behind bars again for breaching her licence conditions. Tracey Connelly, 42, was jailed for her part in his horrifying death.

However, she was released on licence in 2013 but was put behind bars again two years later for selling pornographic pictures of herself online. She was cleared for release in 2022, and is now back behind bars after again breaching her licence conditions.

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