Baby P’s mother lied to parole officers about a secret affair 

It comes as Justice Secretary Dominic Raab made an appeal to have her parole ruling overturned after it was decided that she would be freed from prison.

Mr Raab challenged the court’s decision to release the killer on grounds that it failed to take “any, or any proper, account” of factors such as “her willingness to deceive professionals, her manipulative capacity, the imminence of her risk and risk of non-compliance, her relationship with another prisoner and a recent instance of deception.”

Reviews found that Connelly hid and lied about a year-long relationship with another inmate, only known to the parole ruling as ‘X’.

Upon delivering the judgement on Raab’s appeal, it was revealed that Connelly had kissed the inmate and began exchanging love letters.

She agreed to end the relationship, which began last June after disclosing it to staff, but the pair continued to breach prison rules by sending letters to one another.

In one note, Tracey wrote: “I madly love you... crazy about you.”

Mr Raab debated that the letters “very clearly demonstrate [Connelly’s] willingness to deceive professionals”.

Judge Jeremy Roberts QC, who considered the Justice Secretary's appeal, said: “There is no doubt that this episode revealed another example of the respondent being less than honest with professionals.

“It was to her credit that she disclosed her relationship with X at an appropriate time, but she then, for a time, led the professionals to believe she had ended the relationship when she had not.”

Mr Roberts added: “I have carefully considered all of the arguments advanced by the Secretary of State in support of his application, but... cannot find anything in them to justify reconsideration of the panel's decision.”

“This application is therefore refused and the panel's provisional decision is now final.”

Parole documents stated that at the time of her crimes, she got into relationships fast and “used sex to help her feel better about herself” and had an “inability to control extreme emotions”.

She was also described as “manipulative and lacking in empathy.”

Announcing the news that Connelly’s release would go ahead, a spokesperson said: “Following the reconsideration application from the Secretary of State, a judge has ruled that the decision made by independent Parole Board members to release was not irrational, as stated in the reconsideration application, and the original decision is upheld.”

Slamming the decision, Dominic Raab said: “Tracey Connelly’s cruelty towards her son, baby Peter, was pure evil.

“The decision to release her demonstrates why the parole board needs a fundamental overhaul – including a ministerial check for the most serious offenders – so that it serves and protects the public.”

After being rejected for release in 2015, 2017 and 2019, officials ruled in March that she is fit to be released from prison.

Tracey Connelly (40) was arrested in 2007 after her 17 month old son Peter died after suffering over 50 injuries over an 8 month period.

She pleaded guilty to causing or allowing the death of the toddler and was sentenced to a minimum term of 5 years or until she was "deemed no longer to be a risk to the public” and in particular to small children.

Released in 2013, she was locked up once again in 2015 after breaching her parole by selling nude photos of herself online.

As she was released on lifelong licence, she could be recalled to prison for any violations of the law.

Peter Connelly was found unresponsive in his cot at his home on August 3rd 2007 after an ambulance was called to the home.

The baby was blue and wearing only a nappy. After resuscitation attempts, he was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.

A post-mortem examination found that the tragic young boy had swallowed a tooth after being punched in the face.

Other injuries found that he had a broken back and broken ribs as well as mutilated fingertips and missing fingernails.