LONDON – The mother of Baby P, the toddler who died following a horrific campaign of abuse, was branded manipulative, self-centred and selfish by the judge who yesterday jailed her indefinitely.
The sentencing comes as a damning new report said the youngster’s death should have been prevented.
Baby Peter’s 27-year-old mother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, her 32-year-old boyfriend, and lodger Jason Owen (37) were convicted last year of causing or allowing his death in August 2007, at just 17 months.
The child had suffered a broken back and more than 40 serious injuries during prolonged domestic violence, despite being on Haringey Council’s child protection register.
The mother was given an indefinite jail term yesterday at the Old Bailey, and told she would serve at least five years in prison, the Press Association reported.
“You are a manipulative and self-centred person, with a calculating side as well as a temper,” Judge Stephen Kramer told her.
“I reject the suggestion that you were blind to what was happening in that house, or that you were naive.”
In a statement read out by her lawyer to the court on Thursday, Peter’s mother apologised for her failings and said she punished herself every day.
The boyfriend, who earlier this month was also found guilty of raping a two-year-old girl, was jailed for life for the rape and told he must serve at least 10 years in prison.
That sentence will run concurrently with a 12-year sentence he was given for his role in Baby P’s death.
The lodger, Owen, was given an indeterminate sentence, with a minimum term of three years.
News that Peter had suffered months of abuse despite being regularly monitored by social services, doctors and the police provoked outrage from politicians and the public.
Sharon Shoesmith, head of children’s services at Haringey, was sacked, and other senior council officials quit after a “devastating” review found serious concerns over child protection in the borough.
Secretary of state for children Ed Balls also ordered a new “serious case review” of Peter’s death after inspectors found the one prepared by the authority was inadequate.
Unveiling details of the second review yesterday, Graham Badman, chairman of the Haringey Local Safeguarding Children Board, said: “His horrifying death could and should have been prevented.
“The Serious Case Review says that if doctors, lawyers, police officers and social workers had adopted a more urgent, thorough and challenging approach, the case would have been stopped in its tracks at the first serious incident.
“Baby Peter deserved better from the services that were supposed to protect him.”
Earlier this month, NHS bodies were also criticised for systemic failures that failed to prevent Peter’s death. – (Reuters)