Baby P mother drops sentence appeal

Tracey Connelly, 28, of Penshurst Road, Tottenham, north London, who was jailed at the Old Bailey in May, was expected to have an appeal application heard by senior judges in the Court of Appeal.

But it has emerged that Connelly, who was ordered to serve at least five years behind bars before she can apply for parole, has now abandoned her appeal.

Connelly was sentenced along with her boyfriend Steven Barker, 33, and lodger Jason Owen, for causing or allowing the death of 17-month-old Peter Connelly.

The child was found dead in a blood-spattered cot in August 2007.

Owen, 37, who had been staying at Peter's home with his 15-year-old girlfriend, is to have a sentence appeal application heard by the Court of Appeal.

Owen, of Bromley, Kent, was also given an indeterminate sentence, with a minimum term of three years.

A sentence of 12 years was handed out to Barker, who was told that he had played a major role in Peter's death. He was also jailed for life with a minimum term of 10 years after being convicted of raping a two-year-old girl. His appeal against the rape conviction is due to be heard by the Court of Appeal on November 24.

Barker and Owen - who is Barker's brother but changed his name after Baby Peter's death - were convicted by a jury of causing or allowing the death of a child at a trial last November, while the mother earlier pleaded guilty to the charge.

Baby Peter had more than 50 injuries, including fractured ribs and a broken back, despite being on the at-risk register and receiving 60 visits from social workers, doctors and police over eight months. Haringey Council, whose social services department was supposed to have kept Peter safe, issued an unreserved apology for its failings.