NEVER LET THEM BE SO LOST THAT EVEN THE ANGELS ARE UNABLE TO FIND THEM!

ROLE MODELS

Tracey Connelly was born Tracey Cox on June 29, 1981, in the East Midlands town of Leicester to her mother, rish born Mary !"Connor, #nown as $ula to her friends and %ary Cox, a deli&ery dri&er by trade' %ary was the man Tracey re(arded as her father, until the a(e of 12 when a drun#en Mary, casually informed her dau(hter she was, in fact, the )roduct of a drun#en one*ni(ht stand in Leicester with a married family friend named +ichard Johnson' Johnson was a con&icted )edo)hile who ra)ed a teena(er in the Midlands in the 19,-s and was con&icted of another sex offence in the 198-s' %ary, an alcoholic and habitual dru( user, )aid +ichard fi&e )ounds in what he thou(ht was a funny .o#e, to slee) with Mary' +ichard, a .obless (ardener, drun# at the time, too# u) his offer as he was (oin( throu(h a bad )atch with his own wife, but later said it was somethin( he re(retted for the rest of his life' More often than not drun#, %ary used to sub.ect Mary to re(ular, &icious beatin(s, blamin( her for the house bein( filthy amon( other thin(s' /e re(ularly laid into her with his bare fists and the beatin(s were so &iolent that the family )et do( ran away in fear' /e ne&er hit the children, but tried to turn them a(ainst their mother, sayin(, 01he2s e&il' 3on2t listen to her'0 Tracey was brou(ht u) in a house where &iolence was the norm and (rew u) in a household where beatin(s were a daily ritual' 4lcohol and dru(s were )art of e&eryday life' The marria(e brea# u) of Tracey"s )arents was ine&itable and Mary esca)ed %ary"s beatin(s and abuse and mo&ed her and the one year old Tracey to a tou(h council estate in $orth London' %ary, who would later die of a heart attac# at the a(e of 55 when Tracey was se&en years old, in 1998, was left behind to drin# his life away' Life was not to (et any better for Tracey, (rowin( u) in the )o&erty of a rundown council flat in the tou(h unfor(i&in( (hetto of slin(ton, $orth London' Mary, by now a bone thin, ha((ard woman who stood out in her trade mar# le((in(s, soc#s and stiletto heels turned increasin(ly to alcohol and dru(s as a means of (ettin( her throu(h the day' The flat they li&ed in was filthy, with do( excrement left on the #itchen floor by their uncared for blac# mon(rel do(' 6nwashed clothes were strewn in e&ery room, there was &ery little furniture, and there were ne&er any sheets on the beds' 7y the time Tracey started to attend )rimary school, she was o&erwei(ht and due to her mother"s ne(lect, always loo#ed dirty and scruffy in her unwashed thread bare clothes and unwashed hair' 1he would turn u) at school in shoes that were fallin( a)art and ri))ed trac#suit bottoms' The other children soon (a&e her the nic#name 8Tracey the Tram)"

because of her a))earance and she was often the &ictim of beatin(s from other )u)ils and returned home on more than one occasion with a s)lit li) and bruises' 1he was the #id at school no one wanted to )lay with and away from school had &ery few friends or social contact with others' 1he was later to describe her childhood on her 9aceboo# )a(e sim)ly as 81hitty"' Mary came from a &iolent and abusi&e bac#(round herself, a )attern she continued with her own children' +ecords from Leicestershire and slin(ton social ser&ices showed the (randmother had a &iolent u)brin(in( and was &iolent to her own children' +ecords stated that she admitted hittin( her son from the a(e of six wee#s, acce)ted she had a )roblem with &iolence )articularly a(ainst men, and was con&icted of the malicious woundin( of her husband' /er own son was admitted to the hos)ital four times by the time he was three years old, althou(h each accident was re(arded as ha&in( an ade:uate ex)lanation' Tracey soon started to de&elo) a tou(h &eneer' 4lways alone and han(in( around by herself she soon learned to )ut u) or shut u)' 4 nei(hbor recalled how Tracey used to come to her door and say it was her birthday, and she would (i&e Tracey a fi&er' 1he would then remember it was her birthday last wee# too' Mary was by now s)endin( most of her time in bed smo#in( cannabis with an assortment of different boyfriends or casual lo&ers and would often shout at Tracey to clear out of the flat' Tracey was left to wander the streets of $orth London, alone, late at ni(ht' t was around this time that Tracey com)lained to her mother that she, herself, was bein( abused by a close male relati&e' /er mother"s reaction was to shout and scream at her and call her a liar' Lonely, fatherless, and lac#in( any self*esteem, she went in search of whate&er affection she could find' 4s youn( as ele&en, Tracey was )romiscuous and was #nown as easy by the youn(sters on the estate' 1he s)ent her e&enin(s with an assortment of different local lads who would ta#e her into dar# alleys or the stairwells of the flats and ha&e their way with her, without showin( any lo&e or affection, only to call her names behind her bac# and let others #now where to find 8an easy lay"' 1he also be(an to s)end a lot of time in the flat of a man in his ;-s who used to (i&e her beer and ci(arettes and was seen by friends )lay wrestlin( and #issin( her on the nec#' Exactly what went on u) there is not #nown but it was not a healthy en&ironment for a (irl of her a(e' <ith family relationshi)s reachin( their brea#in( )oint in the

Cox home, Tracey said that the re&elations about her real father dro&e her 2a bit wild2 for a time, until slin(ton social ser&ices became in&ol&ed' 4 )lace was found for Tracey, a(ed 12, at 9arney Close boardin( school in <est 1ussex, an institution caterin( to children with s)ecial education needs and beha&ioral and social )roblems' 9arney Close is rated as 2outstandin(2 by !fsted, the school ratin( or(ani=ation, and described by many former )u)ils, who include !lym)ic athlete 3aley Thom)son, as 2brilliant2, boastin( facilities to ri&al a to) )ri&ate school' This could ha&e been the chance for Tracey to esca)e her childhood' nstead, 2Tracey the Tram)2 was (i&en a new nic#name, 21ti(2, short for 21ti( of the 3um)2, the character out of a children"s boo#, where 1ti( li&ed in a rubbish dum)' !ne former )u)il, now a 2,*year*old chef, recalled how she was dirty, scruffy and her feet stan#' /er )ersonal hy(iene was &ery )oor' 1he would only shower once a wee# when told to, her face was (reasy and co&ered in acne, and she was still o&erwei(ht' Tracey"s time at 9arney Close could ha&e been a chance for Tracey to turn her life into somethin( different from the abuse and misery she had suffered, but she couldn2t be bothered to ma#e any effort' 1he used to wear 3r Marten boots or boys2 shoes because her feet were so lar(e, si=e ten, and only e&er wore trousers' 1he also showed that she had a real tem)er on her, and would often (et into fi(hts with other )u)ils who re(arded her as a la=y oddball' !n more than one occasion she had to be restrained by a teacher after (ettin( into a fi(ht with another )u)il' 4t 9arney Close, a whole ran(e of s)orts were a&ailable includin( (o*#artin( and canoein(, that Tracey had the o))ortunity to learn and )artici)ate in, but Tracey )referred to watch T> soa) o)eras and lay in bed' The only arena where she excelled was on the netball court, where her si=e made her an effecti&e (oal#ee)er' <hile alcohol and dru(s were banned at the school, )u)ils were allowed to smo#e with their )arents2 consent and, needless to say, Tracey chain*smo#ed' 3es)ite her scruffy and dirty a))earance, Tracey was ne&er without a boyfriend and was always seen durin( the school holidays bac# home in $orth London with someone new by her side' 1he left 9arney Close with a handful of %C1Es and &a(ue ideas about bein( a hairdresser, but, as she told her best friend at school, what she really wanted was a 2houseful of #ids2'

4t the a(e of 1;, she met her first serious boyfriend, a railway wor#er, 1, years her senior and it loo#ed li#e finally Tracey was settlin( into a normal life' <ithin two years they had mo&ed in to(ether and Tracey became )re(nant with her first baby, a (irl, and a second baby (irl soon followed' They married in a ci&il ceremony in /arin(ey in 1e)tember 2--?@ with Tracey dressed in a )lun(in( blac# dress with an ill matchin( white &eil and him in a suit' /er weddin( )ictures show her beltin( out a #arao#e son(, a (lass of her fa&orite &od#a and Co#e in hand, and (uests said the cou)le san( the 1onny and Cher duet 2 %ot Aou 7abe2' Their rece)tion was held at a )ub in north London, but their relationshi) was not to be a lastin( union' 4 third baby (irl was born shortly after the weddin(' To(ether they had mo&ed into a council house in Tottenham and it loo#ed li#e her dream of a household full of #ids was comin( true' !ld habits die hard and Tracey wasn2t the cleanest mother in the world and wasn2t bothered if the #ids were dirty' Aou would ha&e thou(ht with the abuse she suffered from her own a))earance as a child, she would ha&e made an extra effort to ma#e sure her own children did not suffer the same fate, but the children were always dirty and clad in unwashed clothes' The house was a mess and &ery rarely cleaned or tidy' /er husband would come home to no meal )re)ared and no housewor# done' +e(ular ar(uments and fi(hts were had because of Tracey"s la=iness and lac# of (eneral household s#ills' !n one occasion, she hit her dau(hter in front of the school nurse, because her dau(hter had claimed she was bein( molested and when Tracey went u) to the school to sort it out, she found out she2d made it u)' Thin(s calmed down in the household when Tracey found out she was )re(nant with her fourth child' There was nothin( unusual in the circumstances of the new baby"s birth on 1 March 2--;, at the $orth Middlesex /os)ital in Edmonton, north London, to su((est his life was destined to be brutal and tra(ically short' The $orth Mid, as the hos)ital is #nown, had lon( since cast off its wor#house ori(ins' ts children2s facilities, run as they are by s)ecialists from the world renowned %reat !rmond 1treet /os)ital, are first rate' The baby was born, at least, in (ood hands' /is mother, .ust short of her 2Bth birthday, and his father had finally been blessed with a much*wanted son after three dau(hters' Their family a))eared com)lete' The baby was named Ceter and with blonde hair and blue eyes loo#ed li#e a little an(el' /is first hos)ital &isit of many to come was to be wei(hed and treated for na))y

rash' <ith ci(arettes and &od#a to buy, Tracey had no money left to s)end on such thin(s as lotion for the baby' !n May 2nd, Ceter made his first tri) to see his local (eneral )ractitioner, sufferin( from &omitin( and was )rescribed a medicine to ease his stomach' The .oy of a new baby boy and the com)lete family was short*li&ed' The cou)le2s relationshi) was on the roc#s' Tracey s)ent most of her time either flirtin( or meetin( stran(e men from internet social networ#in( sites' The house was un#em)t and her constant drin#in(, smo#in( and infidelity was too much for her husband to ta#e, so on July 1,, 198;, the children"s father left Tracey' /e mo&ed out after Tracey decided to ta#e 1te&en 7ar#er with her to a school reunion instead of her husband' 1he became so obsessed with him she had his initials tattooed on to her bac#' Tracey was not on li&in( on her own for lon(' n 9ebruary, 2--,, Tracey mo&ed in to a new housin( association )ro)erty in /arrin(ey with the children and her new boyfriend, ?? year old 1te&en 7ar#er, the man her husband had accused her of bein( unfaithful with, and who she had met while he was doin( maintenance wor# on her nei(hbor"s flat before baby Ceter was born'

T+4CEA C!$$ELLA $ /E+ 6164L C!1 T !$ !$ /E+ C!MC6TE+

THE BROTHERS GRIM

1te&en 7ar#er mo&ed in with new (irlfriend, Tracey Connelly, in her new home on Censhurst +oad, without the authorities or social ser&ices #nowin(' Connelly used all her (uile to hide his )resence from the authorities' 4s a sin(le mother*of*four, she had no intention of losin( her D5B- monthly benefit or the allowance )aid by her ex*husband' 9riends of Tracey"s said the new relationshi) a))eared to be (ood for her and that she seemed ha))y and settled for the first time in a while' !nline, she boasted how (reat it was to be 0in lo&e0' 1te&en, who a))eared at first to be the )erfect boyfriend, had an unsa&ory )ast of his own' 4t six feet four inches, and 18 stones E2B2 lbs'F, 7ar#er was a bi(, )owerful man' /e was born in 19,;, and brou(ht u) in Totenham, London' /e was the second eldest of fi&e siblin(s, three boys and two (irls' E&en as a youn( child he started to show si(ns of sadistic beha&ior, when he would torture (uinea )i(s and fro(s, which he would s#in ali&e before brea#in( their le(s and ma#in( the a(oni=ed creatures ho)' /e was )rosecuted by the +oyal 1ociety for the Cre&ention of Cruelty to 4nimals E+1CC4F for his torture of animals' 7ar#er was sent to a school for children with learnin( difficulties near his childhood home in $orth London and was barely able to read and write' /e had an G of .ust ;- and was described by )eo)le who #new him as 8sim)le"' !ften

sufferin( from dar# moods and de)ression, he would loc# himself in a room for days' /e underwent medical treatment for de)ression but )referred to use his taste for torture to lift himself out of his dar# moods' The sinister side of 1te&en 7ar#er started to show itself a(ain when nei(hbors watched different (rou)s of men enterin( his flat in /arin(ey, belie&in( he was holdin( secret meetin(s with racists and neo $a=is from the fascist $ational 9ront, they were always weary about 7ar#er' /e and his brother were later in&esti(ated for committin( race crimes a(ainst an 4sian family in the area, but no char(es were brou(ht a(ainst them' /e started to collect $a=i memorabilia@ includin( swasti#a decorated helmets and da((ers as well as ta#in( an interest in the sur&i&alist mo&ement and martial arts' 4mon( his )ri=ed )ossessions were a crossbow and &arious lethal martial arts wea)ons and would often stride around the house in his combat (ear' 7ar#er )rided himself on his ability to li&e 2rou(h2 and would disa))ear for days on end in E))in( 9orest, catchin( rabbits and s#innin( them to eat with his belo&ed +ottweiler do( Haiser, named after the %erman 9irst <orld <ar leader' 3es)ite his si=e, 7ar#er had been abused as a youn(ster at the hands of his older brother Jason !wen, who had the nic#name 8fatboy" as a child' Jason would terrori=e, bully and beat his youn(er brother' !wen used to ha&e the same surname as 1te&en but chan(ed it after a family ar(ument' 1te&en and Jason"s sister, 1usan, said that 1te&en 7ar#er was )etrified of their brother Jason' 3urin( one occasion, she was wal#in( )ast their flat and saw 1te&en at the window loo#in( scared, with Jason behind him' 4 few days later, she saw 1te&en and he had ci(arette burns all o&er his hands' 1te&en"s fear of Jason did not sto) the teena(e brothers from teamin( u) and terrori=in( their (randmother in the )ursuit of money' 7ar#er and !wen would often &isit their (randmother in the seaside town of <hitstable, Hent' n $o&ember 199B, when 7ar#er was a(ed 19 and !wen was 2?, the )air re)eatedly attac#ed their (randmother /ilda 7ar#er o&er her will' !n one occasion, they loc#ed her in a wardrobe and shoo# it o&er and o&er a(ain in an attem)t to (et her to chan(e her will in their fa&or' Jac:ueline Cole, Mrs' 7ar#er"s nei(hbor recalls that /ilda was terrified e&ery time they arri&ed and would see bruises on the old lady after they had left' Mrs' Cole2s husband, 3a&id, saw the brothers ta#e axes, s)ades and sho&els from the cou)le2s (arden and said he feared they used the tools to threaten the terrified woman'Too )roud or too ashamed, /ilda ne&er told Mrs' Cole what the boys had done to her' !n another occasion, they wore %uy 9aw#es mas#s in an attem)t to scare her and on at least one occasion beat her u) all in )ursuit of becomin( the heirs to her money'

/ilda 7ar#er dreaded the &isits from her (randsons and she was so fri(htened by their constant threats and abuse that she ended u) mo&in( into a care home to (et away from their harassment' Jason and 1te&en were arrested after Mrs' 7ar#er2s dau(hter called the )olice' They were char(ed with (rie&ous bodily harm but before the case could come to court, Mrs' 7ar#er, who by now was in the care home, died of )neumonia, in January 199;' <ith their main witness dead and with no medical e&idence to su))ort a manslau(hter or attem)ted murder char(e, Hent Colice dro))ed the case, a decision which is said to ha&e stunned detecti&es from the Metro)olitan Colice when they read the case files at a later date' 4 Hent Colice s)o#esman said, 0 n 199B, Hent Colice were contacted by relati&es of an 82*year*old lady li&in( in <hitstable' t was su((ested that other members of her family had assaulted her' The alle(ations were in&esti(ated and, althou(h two males were char(ed o&er the alle(ed attac#, the matter was later discontinued throu(h lac# of admissible e&idence' n January 199; the lady died and an in:uest concluded her death was as a result of )neumonia, of natural causes' The coroner did say, howe&er, that this attac# hadn2t hel)ed the woman'04ll this ha))ened more than a decade before 7ar#er met Tracey Connelly and whether she was aware of his )ast is un#nown' Jason !wen, born in 9ebruary 19,2, was the eldest of the children in the 7ar#er household and was four years older than 1te&en' 9rom an early a(e !wen li#ed to bully his youn(er siblin(s' /e was often in trouble and at the youn( a(e of 1?, he was accused of ra)in( an 11 year old (irl' Colice in&esti(ated claims that he had beaten and bullied the terrified youn( (irl before carryin( out the sex attac#' The case was dro))ed for lac# of e&idence, due to the a(e of the &ictim, but this close call did not teach !wen any life lessons and he continued to commit crimes' 7y the time !wen was 2- years old, he had already amassed a lon( criminal record, with con&ictions for theft and bur(lary and was also con&icted of carryin( offensi&e wea)ons' <hen he was 1;, he was arrested and ta#en to court for stealin( and bur(lary, for which he was con&icted, fined, and )ut on )robation' <hen he was arrested a(ain at the a(e of 2- for carryin( the offensi&e wea)on, he was a(ain fined' !wen mana(ed to stay out of trouble for the followin( years, or at least a&oided (ettin( cau(ht, in which time he married, fathered fi&e children and became addicted to crac# cocaine' /e was also in&ol&ed in racist acti&ities with the $ational 9ront, alon( with his brother' The dru( addiction was his next excuse for brea#in( the law when he was a(ain cau(ht and con&icted of bur(lary twice@ he needed money to feed his dru( habit' t is also #now that !wen robbed and )reyed on the &ulnerable and robbed )ensioners' Thin(s were to ta#e a more sinister twist when !wen was arrested for arson when he set fire to his own house to try and

claim the insurance money' /e was con&icted and .ailed for arson' 4rson was a(ain the theme of his threats when fi&e years later he was in&esti(ated for threatenin( to #ill his sister and tellin( her he was (oin( to set fire to her house' The )olice ne&er )ursued the threats made a(ainst his sister, as the threats sto))ed' /is sister described him as a((ressi&e and &iolent and told of how he used to torture animals, beat his brothers, and stated he was a bully and a wife beater' /e often hit his ex wife, and on one occasion beat her with a red hot iron'

1TE>E$ 74+HE+

J41!$ E74+HE+F !<E$

THE HOUSE OF SQUALOUR

t did not ta#e Tracey Connelly lon( after mo&in( into her new house with her children and 1te&en 7ar#er to re&ert to her old ways' /ousewor# was not a word she was familiar with and the house was soon the filthy mess she was accustomed to' The floors were dirty with do( mess left from her %erman 1he)herd, 8Lady", and her 1taffordshire 7ull Terrier called 8Luc#y"' 9ar more attention was la&ished on the do(s than was (i&en to her children, who were left for hours unattended while Tracey s)ent her days and e&enin(s chain smo#in( in a fume filled room while drin#in( &od#a and la(er, whilst layin( on the sofa, or stuc# in front of her com)uter or the tele&ision watchin( 4merican crime dramas such as C1 ' <hen not watchin( tele&ision, she would s)end hours tal#in( on social networ#in( sites and watchin( )orno(ra)hy while the house de(enerated into a slum' !n the social

networ#in( site, 7ebo, she wrote, 0My life is cra=y' /a&e mo&ed house and 2m lo&in( my new )lace' My fella is nuts but bein( in lo&e is (reat'I n the house, 1te&en 7ar#er #e)t two )et sna#es which he fed with rats, mice and chic#ens' 3ead rodents and the remains of butchered chic#ens were left to rot in the filthy #itchen' The )lace was infested with fleas and stan# of stale urine but this did not bother Tracey or 7ar#er who were far more in&ol&ed in their )er&erse )ursuits to care about the state of the house or the welfare of the children inside it' 4lthou(h Tracey described her new baby, Ceter, on one internet site as Jthe coolest )erson ha&e e&er metI, that feelin( was not to last lon(' 7ar#er, when not )layin( with his sna#es, would la&ish all his affection on his )et +ottweiler do(, which he adored' /e would often com)lain to Tracey about the dis(ustin( state of the house, but did not bother to clean u) after himself or his )ets' $a=i memorabilia and wea)ons were left casually around the house includin( a selection of #ni&es, crossbows and axes' 1ex was one of thin(s that mattered most to Tracey, who once wrote on a social networ#in( site, J t2s funny when you meet someone and fall in lo&e' Aou s)end as much time as )ossible #issin( and touchin( and ha&in( sex' Aou want to ma#e them feel so (ood you .ust can2t (et enou(h of each other' t2s (reat'I The honeymoon )eriod of ha))iness between Connelly and 7ar#er did not last for lon(' 1tom)in( around in his army )ants, he started to call Connelly fat and u(ly amon( other names' nside him, was wellin( u) a resentment towards baby Ceter because he had been fathered by a different man' /e already had a child from another relationshi) who he ne&er saw and wanted a baby of his own with Tracey' <hen Ceter was learnin( to s)ea# he was tau(ht to call 7ar#er 8dad" but this .ust reminded 7ar#er that he was not the real father and the resentment (rew' /e tau(ht Ceter to (i&e a $a=i 8sei( heil" salute and say J/eil /itlerI when he entered the room to boost his own e(o and )ander to his lo&e of all thin(s $a=i' Ceter .ust cra&ed any sort of attention and lo&e and would innocently obli(e in the ho)e he would be showed .ust a sin(le crumb of affection' Tracey Connelly2s real father, +ichard Johnson, occasionally )o))ed round to see his dau(hter and (randchildren and he was shoc#ed by what he saw, but says he didn2t feel it was his )lace to 2interfere2' 4fter all, social ser&ices mi(ht ha&e :uestioned his )resence there, for +ichard Johnson had an unsa&ory )ast of his

own, with the con&iction for the ra)e of a 15*year*old durin( the 19,-s' /e said the house was a cess)it and called his dau(hter bone idle, but did not ste) u) to the mar# and do anythin( to chan(e or hel) his (randchildren from the dis(ustin( conditions they were li&in( in' /e witnessed Ceter (i&in( $a=i salutes and saw firsthand the filth the children had to endure, a mixture of human and do( excrement, rubbed into the car)et' Ceter was first referred to the child abuse in&esti(ation team on 3ecember 12, 2--;, e&en before 7ar#er mo&ed in, after bein( admitted to <hittin(ton /os)ital in $orth London with bruisin( to his forehead, nose, breastbone and ri(ht shoulder' /e had a )rior &isit to the hos)ital on 9riday, !ctober 1? th to see the doctor with a bruised head and chest' Tracey had told the doctor he had fallen o&er' <hen 3r' #wue#e saw bruisin( on the side of the infant2s head and chest and as#ed how it had ha))ened, the mother told him that 7aby Ceter had fallen down the stairs' 4lmost one month later, when 3r #wue#e examined him a(ain, 7aby Ceter had a bul(in( 2 inch bruise in the middle of his forehead as well as bruisin( on his chest and ri(ht shoulder' Concerned by his mother2s unclear ex)lanation for the in.uries, she su((ested they mi(ht ha&e occurred while he was bein( cared for by his (randmother' The doctor referred Tracey and Ceter to a s)ecialist at the <hittin(ton /os)ital in north London' 3r /eather Mac#innon, the s)ecialist who examined him the followin( day, was so disturbed by his condition she referred him to /arin(ey social ser&ices

7oth Connelly and her own abusi&e mother, who used to mind the children, were arrested and :uestioned on 3ec 19th, althou(h no char(es were e&er filed' Ceter was )ut on /arin(ey Council"s child )rotection re(ister three days later' Tracey used to say Ceter was accident )rone and #e)t bum)in( into thin(s' Ceter had a few wee#s of the care and attention he so badly cra&ed and needed while in the care of a family friend while social ser&ices and Colice in&esti(ated' The woman who loo#ed after him for six wee#s o&er Christmas 2--; noted that he did not (et any more bruises and ate and sle)t well' /owe&er, she re)orted that he would head* butt, scratch and bite' /is mother continued to ha&e extensi&e access to him' 3urin( this )eriod, social wor#ers &isited se&en times in two wee#s, includin( an unannounced &isit to chec# on him' The &ery same authorities were to let him

down so badly in the start of a series of unfor(i&eable mista#es, mishandlin( and total incom)etence' 4t the end of six wee#s, des)ite the continuin( )olice in&esti(ation and numerous &isits, social ser&ices remained unaware that the mother2s boyfriend was li&in( in the house' 1ocial wor#ers returned Ceter home des)ite the house bein( a dis(ustin( mess, flea ridden and smellin( of urine' 7ar#er was still bein( concealed, as not to affect Connelly"s )recious benefits' This was only one of what would turn out to be more than ;- &isits to the household by /arin(ey"s totally ine)t authorities' !n to) of 7ar#er li&in( there when he was not su))osed to, the brother who bullied and beat him when they were youn(er, and who he still feared, mo&ed into the small house whilst on the run from the )olice' /e brou(ht with him his undera(e, runaway (irlfriend, who was .ust 1B years of a(e, and four of his children from his )re&ious marria(e would re(ularly stay there' t was around this time that Jason 7ar#er chan(ed his surname to !wen, later statin( it was because of a family ar(ument, but it is more li#ely he did it as a means of a&oidin( ca)ture from the )olice' 1till the authorities remained unaware that there were now two extra adults, a runaway teena(er, and three extra children alon( with Connelly and her own children and three do(s, two of them classed as dan(erous animals to be around children, all li&in( in this s:ualid en&ironment of the Censhurst +oad house' Crofessionals continued to monitor the family re(ularly, sometimes two or three times a wee#' The lon(est )eriod the children went without contact with at least one )rofessional was 1- days' 1ocial ser&ices only made two unannounced &isits between January 2--, and 7aby Ceter"s death ei(ht months later' 3urin( that )eriod, 3r' #wue#e a(ain noticed bruisin( on the baby2s face and des)ite the mother2s ex)lanation that he had been )ushed into a fire)lace by another child, he referred the infant to a senior doctor at the $orth Middlesex' That doctor described how, when he examined him, the 1?*month*old child was holdin( his head to one side and was unsteady on his feet' /e was admitted to the hos)ital o&erni(ht, but released the next day' 1ocial wor#ers continued to &isit' They belie&ed Ceter was an 8acti&e child", who was seen to throw his body around and head*butt family members and other ob.ects' These a))eared to su))ort the mother2s concerns that her son suffered fre:uent accidents due to bein( an acti&e, clumsy child with a hi(h )ain threshold'

They concentrated on disco&erin( if there were 8or(anic reasons for such beha&iour" instead of in&esti(atin( further' The mother2s two elder dau(hters did not (i&e cause for concern' 3es)ite :uestions of lac# of hy(iene and un#em)tness, both attended school re(ularly' 1ources close to /arin(ey Council later told lawyers their main concern was one of ne(lect and )oor )arentin( s#ills rather than abuse' They remained unaware of the boyfriend2s )resence in the house' !n one of only two occasions when social wor#ers turned u) without in&itation, they disco&ered more bruisin( and scratchin( on Ceter' /e was immediately examined by a senior doctor at the $orth Middlesex /os)ital who found multi)le bruises' 9our days later, his mother was inter&iewed under caution at /ornsey )olice station' 3etecti&es &isited the house to )hoto(ra)h Ceter"s in.uries and the furniture he was said to ha&e collided with' 1ocial wor#ers )laced the eldest dau(hter on the child )rotection re(ister' 1omehow, the 7ar#ers )resence in Ceter"s home remained undetected throu(hout this in&esti(ation' t wasn2t until June 1Bth that Marie Loc#hart, a /arin(ey family su))ort wor#er, was introduced to a tall blond man whom Connelly described as a 0friend0' t was the first time that anyone in authority a))eared to learn of his existence' More astonishin(, )erha)s, is the fact that not only did the boyfriend2s )resence in the home remain un#nown for so lon(, but so did that of Jason !wen and his brood' Connelly later claimed she had as#ed !wen and the others to lea&e but they had refused' 4 friend said the mother was unha))y with the situation and 8fri(htened of !wen"' 3es)ite this, she did not mention her fears to anyone in authority'

THE FILTHY SQUALID HOUSE ON PENSHURST ROAD

A FULL HOUSE OF HORROR

Tracey Connelly sat at her com)uter, as usual, but this time not to boast how in lo&e she was because her relationshi) with 7ar#er had (one )ear sha)ed' n a familiar &ein to when she was youn(er and nic#named 8Tracey Tram)", she had to listen to daily abuse and name callin( from her boyfriend' 9eelin( sorry for herself and full of self*)ity, she wrote on one social networ#in( site, 0 2m fed u) with

lettin( )eo)le down' 4ll my life ha&e messed u)' <hen will e&er (et it ri(htK Ceo)le should stay away from me as ha&e always messed u) e&eryone who2s close to me' 2m a .inx to all #now'0 7aby Ceter was now bein( left in his cot u)stairs until mid afternoon, unchan(ed and unfed and when he was brou(ht downstairs he s)ent most of his time in his )lay)en, a)art from the times 7ar#er would ta#e him out to )lay his new (ames, (ames that were for his own amusement, not Ceter"s' !ne of his fa&orites was to )lace Ceter on a rotatin( stool and s)in him as hard and fast as he could until he fell off, or he would ta#e him off so he would sta((er and fall into furniture or on the wretched, stained floor' 4ware but unconcerned, Connelly continued to loaf on the sofa drin#in( and watchin( T>, or sat in her other seat in front of the com)uter screen' !n 9ebruary 22nd, Maria <ard was a))ointed as the family"s social wor#er' !n her first &isit to the flea infested house on March 2 nd, an unclean Ceter was crawlin( around the car)et and she made a note that he s)ent time head buttin( the wall, but noted it was a )ossible si(n of a 2de&elo)ment )roblem2 instead of a cry for hel)' Maria <ard was the allocated social wor#er for 18 different child )rotection cases at the time, floutin( /arin(ey Council2s own recommendations that its social wor#ers should only be res)onsible for a maximum of 12 children' !wen also started to .oin in the daily routine of sho&in( and )unchin( Ceter in what 7ar#er later described as Jexercises to tou(hen the lad u)I' The torture and cruelty inflicted on Ceter steadily (ot worse, but still Tracey Connelly was unmo&ed and not at all bothered by what was (oin( on' n March, Connelly (a&e a recorded inter&iew to social wor#er, 1ue %ilmore' n the inter&iew, Connelly claimed her son Ceter, then 12 months old, had 8ban(ed his chin" by accident at a friend"s house' 1he said she comforted him immediately afterwards and then too# )ictures of the table on which he 8cau(ht himself" as e&idence to )ro&e she was innocent' 4lthou(h she re&ealed that her sadistic boyfriend, 1te&en 7ar#er, was s)endin( time in her home with the toddler, no further chec#s were carried out and details of the inter&iew were not entered fully on case files' /ad social wor#ers loo#ed into 7ar#er"s bac#(round, they would ha&e disco&ered he had been :uestioned by )olice on sus)icion of torturin( his (randmother and )rosecuted by the +1CC4 for abusin( animals' The details should ha&e set alarm bells rin(in( and could ha&e sa&ed the youn(ster"s life' Throu(hout the inter&iew,

Mrs %ilmore, a senior team mana(er in the social wor# de)artment at /arin(ey, a))eared ea(er to acce)t Connelly"s ex)lanations for her son"s in.uries and when Connelly said she wished social wor#ers would 8bac# off and lea&e me alone" she sym)athi=ed, sayin( that was a 8strai(htforward thin( to want" 1he recorded the hour*lon( inter&iew as )art of a course in new social wor# methods aimed at encoura(in( )arents to coo)erate with the authorities' 1he failed the trainin( assi(nment and did not com)lete the course' 4t the end of the inter&iew, she said, J "m im)ressed, really, really im)ressed with the way you ha&e been able to come in here, sit in front of that E)ointed to the cameraFI' Connelly denied she was in a relationshi) with 7ar#er, but then said, J/e is ;ft 5in, blond hair, (reen eyes and am sorry if "&e built u) a dreamboat on him but he is e&ery (irl"s dream'I 1he added, J don"t li#e ha&in( )eo)le interfere' #now that the social wor#er is there for a .ob, and #now they are there for a )ur)ose and at the end of all this ho)e they will bac# off and lea&e me alone so that am a carin( mother' 3oes that ma#e senseKI

T/E 1M L $% 1!C 4L <!+HE+ L 1TE$1 T! C!$$ELLA"1 L E1 !n March 22nd, Maria <ard made another &isit to the house' The small army of )eo)le now li&in( there had made themsel&es scarce for the day' Maria noticed a stran(e red mar# on Ceter"s chin and when she as#ed Connelly how it ha))ened she re)lied, JCeter had fallen o&er a tableI' n her notes Maria wrote it down as insi(nificant' Ceter was either left in his cot cryin( for days on end or sub.ected to e&er increasin( bouts of torture' 7ar#er was now teachin( his +ottweiler do( how to bite usin( Ceter as the (oad' The do( would bite Ceter while 7ar#er and !wen would fall about in fits of lau(hter' nstead of ob.ectin( to her son"s brutal treatment, she ne&er showed any si(ns of concern or emotion' Connelly co&ered u) and hid Ceter"s in.uries the best she could' f Ceter dared to cry, he was )ic#ed

u) by the throat and thrown into his cot, his wind)i)e )ressed so hard that he turned blue' !n other occasions, he had a bottled rammed into his mouth so hard it cut his li)s' /e was dro))ed on the floor from a hei(ht of six feet and )unched and #ic#ed' 4 nei(hbor noticed, on two occasions, that Ceter was bleedin( from his ear after 7ar#er had bathed him' The day to day care or lac# of it, of Ceter, was now left solely in the hands of 7ar#er and !wen while Connelly slouched on the sofa com)lainin( of fati(ue and de)ression' !n 4)ril 9 th, Ceter was admitted to $orth Middlesex /os)ital sufferin( from bruises' /is mother claimed another child caused him to fall a(ainst a marble fire)lace' Colice were not informed' 4fter only one of the two unannounced &isits by social wor#ers, they noticed Ceter was co&ered in bruises and they told Connelly to ta#e him to hos)ital, which she did on June 2nd' /e is ta#en to $orth Middlesex /os)ital a(ain and found to ha&e 12 areas of bruisin(' Connelly is rearrested, but blamed another child for mar#s to Ceter"s face' n what would )ro&e to be the last months of his life, 7aby Ceter"s (eneral condition deteriorated' 4 child minder noted he had become lethar(ic and s)ent more time in his )lay)en, but didn2t want to )lay' /is hair had been sha&ed in a radical attem)t to curb head lice and he had extensi&e infections on his scal), ears, fin(ers and toes' /is mother continued to ta#e him to a &ariety of doctors who )rescribed antibiotics' Throu(h June the abuse (ot worse' n one act of sa&a(e cruelty, 7ar#er )ulled some of the baby"s fin(ernails and toe nails out with a )air of )liers and )roceeded to )unch the boy in the head and face' 7ar#er committed one of his most brutal attac#s on Ceter in June' /e threw the child around on the sofa li#e a ra( doll, raised the baby in the air with both hands, and slammed him a(ainst his #nee with force' This too# )lace in full &iew of Connelly, !wen, and !wen"s fifteen year old (irlfriend' The teena(er later told )olice that 7ar#er was smo#in( cannabis and drin#in( when he slammed the child a(ainst his #nee and that the crac# was so loud it echoed around the house' 1he also stated that 7ar#er sat smir#in( as the baby let out a (ut wrenchin( scream' t was so loud the teena(er went into the (arden and )ut her hands o&er her ears to bloc# out the sound' Ceter"s s)ine had been sna))ed in half' The teena(er was so terrified that she would be made a tar(et as well that it too# her months to summon u) the coura(e to tell relati&es of

the abuse' 1he claimed the mother2s lies about her child2s &arious in.uries were 2sim)ly acce)ted2 by the social wor#ers chec#in( u) on her' !n July 2,th, Ceter"s natural father had the child stay with him o&erni(ht' Ceter was lifeless and withdrawn and he noticed the child was incredibly thin' Ceter was a sorry si(ht, with a banda(ed hand and badly infected scal)' /e raised these issues with Connelly, who told him the baby had been )oorly and had bit his own fin(ernail off' t would be the last time he would see his son ali&e' /e had offered to care for his son at an earlier date when he thou(ht the child was not bein( ta#en care of )ro)erly' The authorities turned him down because Connelly falsely claimed he had sla))ed his son' Ceter mi(ht still be ali&e today if he had been handed o&er to his father, who had (otten )ermission to ta#e time off wor# and had references of his (ood character from his em)loyer' 1ocial wor#ers belie&ed Connelly, who was already under in&esti(ation' Lawyers ad&ised /arin(ey council social wor#ers, on the 2B th of July, that they could not le(ally ta#e Ceter into care' /arin(ey2s Children and Aoun( Cersons 1er&ice )resented all the e&idence it had collated to the council2s le(al de)artment' Lawyers told the social wor#ers that 0on the basis of the information )ro&ided, the threshold for initiatin( care )roceedin(s ''' was not met'I The same month, )olice finished their en:uiries into the in.uries Ceter sustained in 3ecember 2--; and June 2--,' 3etecti&es said their efforts had )ro&ed inconclusi&e and no criminal char(es would be brou(ht' 1ocial <or#er, Maria <ard, was due for a )re arran(ed &isit on the ?- th of July' Ceter had bruises co&erin( his body, head, and face' /is li)s were cut, eyes dar#, and he had scabs and scratches on his scal)' /is bac# was bro#en, he had fractured ribs and some of his fin(ernails were missin(' Tracey Connelly )re)ared for the &isit, not by cleanin( the house or ma#in( sure Ceter was clean and dressed' 1he )ut chocolate o&er the bruises on his face and head to dis(uise them and )ut cream and chocolate on his hands to co&er the missin( fin(er nails'

T/E /46$T $% C CT6+E !9 CETE+, L!!H $% C4LE 4$3 %46$T, 94CE C!>E+E3 $ C/!C!L4TE T! C!>E+ / 1 $J6+ E1, $!T CE T/E +E3 M4+H1 4+!6$3 / 1 EAE1' Ceter was )laced in a bu((y because he was too lim) with his bro#en bac# to be )laced in the hi(hchair' The social wor#er too# a :uic# loo# at Ceter, but did not s)ot anythin( wron(' 1he said, J/ello, little fellaI and that was it' The baby was )ut in the #itchen, door shut' n the mornin(, Connelly had actually told the teena(e (irl that the social wor#er would ha&e to be Jan idiotI not to notice somethin( wron(' f the social wor#er had .ust ta#en a second to loo# )ro)erly, to )ic# him u) and loo# at him, she would ha&e reali=ed there was somethin( (ra&ely wron(' The next day, Colice handed o&er further re)orts to the Crown Crosecution 1er&ice, includin( statements from two doctors, sayin( Ceter2s bruisin( was su((esti&e of 0non*accidental0 in.ury' Crosecutors decide there was not enou(h e&idence to brin( a case' !n 4u(ust 1st, Ceter was ta#en to a child de&elo)ment clinic at 1t 4nn2s /os)ital in Tottenham, north London . Cediatrician, 3r' 1abah 4l* Layyat, decides she cannot carry out a full chec#*u) as the boy is Jmiserable and cran#yI'

!n 4u(ust 2nd, Ceter was left all day u)stairs in his cot' n se&ere )ain and hun(ry, the child was left there cryin( for hours while the adults were downstairs drin#in(, smo#in(, and in the usual routine of tele&ision and internet' The cryin( was nonsto) and in the e&enin( 7ar#er said he would sort it out' /e went u)stairs and shut the door' 7ar#er then )unched Ceter so hard in the mouth it #noc#ed his tooth out and he swallowed it' 3ownstairs, they were smilin(, as the baby had finally sto))ed cryin(' The next mornin(, !wens" fifteen year old (irlfriend went in to chec# on Ceter' /e was lyin( lifeless in his cot' 4fter ei(ht months of unima(inable torture, Ceter was dead' The teena(er alerted Connelly, but it would ta#e the mother a further two hours before she called an ambulance' !wen hel)ed 7ar#er (et rid of incriminatin(, bloodstained, bed sheets and went with 7ar#er to dum) a bloodstained 7aby(ro in a canal, before fleein( with his (irlfriend The 999 call was made at 11M?; a'm' and it too# the ambulance .ust four minutes to arri&e at Censhurst +oad' !n enterin( the house, they found Connelly on all fours, crouched o&er the baby, who was wearin( .ust a na))y' <hen they )ic#ed him u), he was stiff and showed no si(ns of life' +esuscitation be(an immediately' 1tunned )aramedics listened to Connelly as she shouted Joh no, not my babyI as he was ta#en into the ambulance' They were e&en more stunned when Connelly demanded they wait so she could (o bac# into the house and search for her ci(arettes' 4s#ed whether her child had been unwell his mother re)lied, 0Aes, he was unwell last ni(ht, but didn2t brin( him to hos)ital because (et accused of hurtin( him'0 4fter bein( told Ceter was dead, she was heard to cry, 0!h %od, don2t ta#e away my baby boy@ ha&e been waitin( so lon( for a boy'0 <hen the infant2s father turned u), onloo#ers said she a))eared 0shoc#ed0 and #e)t re)eatin(, 0 2m sorry, 2m sorry'0 Ceter was )ronounced dead at hos)ital after bein( examined by a team of s)ecialists, then body ma)s were com)leted and the Colice were called' Connelly was arrested at 1?M5B )'m' and ta#en to Edmonton )olice station' Ceter was reexamined by 3r' <i.emanne, who disco&ered more than B- in.uries on the infant"s body' 4lon( with the bro#en s)ine he had in.uries which included 8 bro#en ribs, nec# in.uries, se&ered fin(erti)s, missin( fin(ernails and toenails, in.uries to his arms and le(s, se&ere head in.uries and cut li)s'

<hen )olice &isited Ceter"s home, they finally met 7ar#er, who told them he was a friend who had been 0&isitin(0 that mornin(' /e claimed he #new Connelly from doin( 0maintenance wor#0' n the Colice search of Censhurst +oad, they failed to find one )iece of Ceter"s clothin( which was not dirty or co&ered in blood'

!$E !9 CETE+"1 7L!!3 1T4 $E3 T*1/ +T1 +EM!>E3 7A C!L CE

t was ele&en days later when 7ar#er and !wen were arrested in E))in( 9orest, where they had been hidin( out in a ma#eshift cam)' 7ar#er )ut his sur&i&al s#ills to (ood use, #illin( rabbits, which they both coo#ed and ate' 4fter he was arrested, 7ar#er admitted he had #nown Connelly for more than two years, but insisted they were 0.ust (ood friends0' !nly after a final inter&iew did he admit that they had a sexual relationshi) and that she was three months )re(nant with his child' <hile bein( inter&iewed, the two men made alle(ations about each other2s in&ol&ement in Ceter2s death' !wen claimed Connelly and 7ar#er had, )rior to Ceter"s death, 0wra))ed him u) li#e a cocoon and laid him face down on the floor and left him there all day0' 7ar#er claimed !wen had (athered the beddin( from Ceter2s cot into a blac# dustbin liner and dis)osed of it' 7ar#er told the )olice that he was scared his brother would try to ha&e him #illed if he s)o#e about him'

!wen )ainted a different )icture' /e claimed that 7ar#er had tortured their youn(er brother durin( childhood' 7ar#er told the )oliceM 0 ha&e ne&er laid a fin(er on Ceter ''' f anyone says admitted #illin( Ceter they are lyin('0 /e also reacted to an alle(ation that !wen had found him in the child2s bedroom 0sweatin( and excited0, sayin(, 0 t2s a lie'0

C!MC6TE+ %E$E+4TE3 M4%E !9 1!ME !9 T/E /E43 4$3 94C 4L $J6+ E1 !$ CETE+ C!$$ELLA

A NATION IN SHOCK

THE SHRINE AND TRIBUTE TO BABY PETER CREATED BY THE SHOCKED AND HEARTBROKEN PUBLIC OF ENGLAND 4s news bro#e about 7aby Ceter"s death, a shoc#ed and an(ry )ublic started to demand answers' Ceter was sim)ly #nown as 7aby 8C" for le(al reasons' 4 shrine was soon awash with flowers and tributes left by a heartbro#en )ublic' 4 hi(h court .ud(e made it a criminal offence to name Connelly, 7ar#er, and !wen until a le(al deadline had ex)ired, althou(h some internet sites defied the court' The orders

were im)osed to )rotect other children in the case and also to a&oid )re.udicin( the u)comin( 7aby C trial because 7ar#er was bein( accused of other crimes, includin( ra)in( a two year old child and child cruelty for which he would be later con&icted' The name of the female child he ra)ed will ne&er be )ublicly re&ealed but details of her ordeal were told in court when she became the youn(est sexual abuse &ictim to (i&e e&idence at the !ld 7ailey' 1he )ro&ided the courtroom with a heartbrea#in( narrati&e, 0 was aslee) and he wo#e me u) ''' he was bein( nau(hty ''' he )ulled his clothes down'0 <hile the mainstream media was forced not to name Connelly, 7ar#er, and !wen, their names and faces were s)lashed o&er countless internet sites for months includin( 9aceboo#, 7ebo, and Mys)ace' More than a million )eo)le .oined social networ#in( )a(es which identified them and their names were also circulated in a &iral text messa(e sent to thousands of mobile )hone users' 3efense lawyers sei=ed on the internet cam)ai(n as a reason the second trial, for the ra)e of the two year old should be dro))ed' They said it would be im)ossible to find .urors who were unaware of 7ar#er"s in&ol&ement in the 7aby Ceter case and ar(ued that any .ury would be swayed by the horrific nature of Ceter"s death' Jud(e 1te)hen Hramer GC, who would )reside o&er both trials, insisted it was in the )ublic interest that the trial should (o ahead' /e ordered that the .ury should not be told of 7ar#er"s lin#s to Ceter, and that he should be tried under a false name, an unusual ste) normally reser&ed for (an(land 8su)er(rasses" whose li&es were at ris#' The .ud(e was forced to halt the ra)e trial when internet blo((ers re&ealed the false name and full details of the case' 4n underco&er )olice officer had to be )laced in the )ublic (allery at the !ld 7ailey and 1cotland Aard"s e*crime unit wor#ed with internet )ro&iders to remo&e offendin( )a(es from cybers)ace' 9rom her cell, Tracey Connelly )enned a letter to the .ud(e in which she said, Im writing this letter as I am not sure of a better way to express regret. I except I have failed my son Peter for which I have pleaded guilty. By not being fully open with the social workers I stopped them from being able to do a full job as a direct result of this my son got hurt and sadly lost his short life. Im never going to see my lovely son grow in to the lovely sweet man I believe he would have been.

I have lost all I hold dear to me now every day of my life is full of guilt and trying to come to terms with my failure as a mother. I punish myself on a daily basis and there is not a day that goes by where I dont cry at some point!.

3es)ite her letter of re(ret to the .ud(e, Tracey had been )ennin( sic#enin(, self* ser&in( letters to her few friends, insistin( she had no idea 7ar#er and !wen were abusin( her child' 1he tal#ed of findin( %od and wantin( to .oin Ceter in hea&en, but in the next sentence wrote, J don2t )lan to (et attached to anyone for a &ery lon( time' 2m .ust (oin( to sha( about for a bit and ha&e loads of fun'I $one of the three were con&icted of murder, the more serious char(e that had been le&eled at them' 3etecti&es had to admit that the absence of forensic e&idence and the lac# of reliable e&idence from those in&ol&ed in Ceter"s last moments meant that they would always ha&e stru((led to con&ict anyone of murder' 4fter deliberation, the !ld 7ailey .ud(e directed the .ury to ac:uit the three defendants of murder' They were found (uilty of an alternati&e char(e of causin( or allowin( his death' n a bitter irony, this was one of the few decisi&e acts by anyone in authority dealin( with the 1, chaotic months of 7aby C2s life' Tracey Connelly and

1te&en !wen were (i&en sentences of minimum .ail terms of 12 years and Jason !wen was (i&en an indeterminate sentence of im)risonment for the )rotection of the )ublic for three years for his )art in Ceter"s death' This meant he could a))ly for )arole after three years but would only be released once the Carole 7oard was satisfied he no lon(er )osed a ris# to the )ublic' !wen challen(ed his sentence at the Court of 4))eal and in !ctober 2--9 was ordered to ser&e a fixed six*year .ail term instead' Tracey Connelly also a))ealed a(ainst her sentence but later dro))ed the a))eal' !wen was named and his identity was released to the )ress and )ublic as soon as the trial finished but Connelly and 7ar#er #e)t their anonymity due to the u) and comin( ra)e trial' /arin(ey social ser&ices e&en fou(ht for them to remain anonymous for a )eriod of se&enteen years but this was re.ected by the hi(h court, which instead set a le(al deadline in which they could remain anonymous' <hilst in )rison awaitin( the ra)e sentence, 7ar#er was attac#ed by a fellow inmate at <a#efield )rison, where 7ar#er was ser&in( his 12*year .ail term' The inmate hurled boilin( water at 7ar#er, lea&in( him screamin( in )ain' 1ome re)orts claimed it had been a concoction of water and su(ar, which stic#s to the s#in and intensifies burns in the same way as na)alm bombs' The Ministry of Justice later said no su(ar had been in&ol&ed' t was re)orted that fellow inmates a))lauded as 7ar#er was ambushed' !ne )risoner (a&e an insi(ht of what the other inmates thou(ht of 7ar#er, he said, JTo say 7ar#er is disli#ed is an understatement N he is re&iled' The other inmates all hate him with a )assion' <hen 7ar#er came here e&eryone #new what he had done to 7aby Ceter' Aour card is mar#ed if you ha&e a crime a(ainst your name concernin( #ids' 4fter the attac# e&eryone was in (ood s)irits, #nowin( someone had hurt 7ar#er' The (uy who did it will be (ettin( a))lauded e&erywhere he (oes now' t will be seen as a bad(e of honor and it is .ust a matter of time before someone else ta#es a shot at 7ar#er too'I !fficers at the hi(h*security .ail in <est Aor#shire rushed to the scene to calm thin(s down' The inmate said he had been awaitin( a chance to stri#e and went for it when one arose' !wen was so fri(htened of what would ha))en when he was released that he was demandin( a new identity and e&en )lastic sur(ery'

Tracey Connelly was obli&ious to the fact that she was the most hated woman in the country' 1he )enned letters to her few remainin( friends about how she was loo#in( forward to the birth of her new baby and how she was (oin( to ha&e fun when she was released' 1he befriended infamous serial #iller +ose <est whilst in )rison' +ose <est was ser&in( life for her )art in the #idna) and #illin( of se&eral teena(ers' /er and her husband 9red had #idna))ed and #illed se&eral teens, includin( his own dau(hter, who they buried in the cellar and bac# (arden of the home'

The )ublic was outra(ed that none of the three accused had been con&icted of murder and dis(usted with the li(ht sentences they recei&ed, but with the three safely behind bars, an enra(ed )ublic and )ress started to focus their attention on the other cul)rits, demanin( answers and action' n their eyes, the authorities of

/arin(ey council were .ust as (uilty for their )art in Ceter"s death' They wanted the )eo)le in&ol&ed to be held to account'

INEPT, INCOMPETENT, AND GUILTY

4s the news bro#e of Ceter"s death, labor councilors and social ser&ices scurried to hastily arran(ed meetin(s behind closed doors' They were aware of the )ublic outra(e and that they were about to come under intense scrutiny for their failin(s' Guestions needed answerin( and the )ublic and )ress demanded those answers' /ow could the authorities not ha&e #nown what was (oin( on after more than sixty &isits o&er 8 months by social wor#ersK Tracey Connelly named 1te&en 7ar#er, who later battered Ceter to death, as her next of #in on health records, so why did

council officials fail to in&esti(ate his bac#(roundK /ad they done so they would ha&e disco&ered, throu(h his )ast that he was a dan(er to the children' /ow could 1ocial wor#ers ne&er reali=e that 7aby Ceter was bein( harmed and how could they ha&e considered his case to be 8a routine, low ris# case, re:uirin( family su))ort" and ne&er chan(e their mindsK <hyK <hen they #new Connelly, in their own words, was 8disor(ani=ed, dirty and smelly" and was 8without much conscience", did social wor#ers fail to confront herK <as it because she 8intimidated the staff"K Colice stron(ly belie&ed that 7aby C"s in.uries were non*accidental, but why didn"t they do their duty by acce)tin( the res)onsibility to in&esti(ate the in.uriesK They also swallowed Connelly"s account of 7ar#er"s limited in&ol&ement, which showed a 8lac# of thorou(hness of the )olice in&esti(ation"' <hy did the family doctor acce)t Connelly"s lies that he 8bruised easily" when he examined the baby at six months' n the final days of 7aby C"s life when the doctor said he was in a 8sorry state" why did the doctor not alert othersK <hy did social wor#ers acce)t Connelly"s litany of lies about what ha))ened to her child, who she was li&in( with, and who had contact with her children' 1he said 7ar#er was .ust a friend and that he was ne&er left alone with Ceter' <hy did !fficials ne&er :uestion her claimsK The extent of 7ar#er"s in&ol&ement with the household was also not #nown and most im)ortantly his )ossible criminal bac#(round, anti*social beha&ior or (eneral bac#(round, was not #nown' 4 man .oinin( a sin(le )arent household, who is unrelated to the children, is well established in research as a )otentially serious threat to the well*bein( of the children' /e needs to be chec#ed out and his in&ol&ement with and relationshi) to the children carefully assessed' 4s well as bein( named as next of #in, 7ar#er went with her to the hos)ital in 4)ril 2--,, after 7aby C suffered a head in.ury and he was there when a social wor#er &isited Connelly at home two months later, so why was his in&ol&ement not in&esti(atedK The warnin( si(ns were there from the start, as, .ust days after Ceter was born, a health wor#er &isited the home and found it to be 8&ery untidy"' The case was )laced in a blue folder indicatin( it was a cause for concern' 1o why was Ceter still failed until the day he died in a blood*s)attered cotK Throu(hout, why did social wor#ers ta#e a 8san(uine" &iew of Ceter"s in.uriesK E&en when doctors too#

the &iew that the in.uries had been inflicted deliberately, why were these 8discounted"K 4fter attem)ts to im)ro&e how Ceter was loo#ed after with a child )rotection )lan )ro&ed useless, why did officials then refuse to challen(e Connelly"s failure to follow itK n March 2--,, .ust six months before Ceter"s death, Connelly was seen sla))in( one of his siblin(s in the face, in )ublic, 8with &ery little )ro&ocation"' <hy wasn"t action ta#en and why weren"t )olice told and why weren"t char(es )ressedK It gave Connelly the wron( messa(e, that the authorities were not too bothered' This was not s)an#in( or considered )arental disci)line but a shoc#in( loss of control directed to the most &ulnerable )art of a child"s body' The )olice were not informed e&en thou(h it was a criminal assault' This seemed to reflect the low ex)ectations, which many of the a(encies in /arin(ey a))eared to ha&e about families li#e this' The followin( is the full health dossier and all the contact with the authorities that Ceter Connelly and Tracey Connelly had from his birth to his heartbrea#in( death' 2006 1 March: 7aby Ceter is born' 22 March: /ealth &isitor A&onne 3ou(las ma#es first home &isit' Ceter has oral thrush' 24 March: 9amily )hysician, Jerome #wue#e, sees Ceter for the thrush' 7 April: A&onne 3ou(las wei(hs Ceter at baby clinic' 13 April: 1ix*wee# examination by 3r #wue#e' 2 May: Chysician &isit for diarrhea and &omitin(' 4 May: A&onne 3ou(las sees mother and Ceter at health clinic' 22 May: 9irst &accinations for menin(itis and di)htheria' 28 May: Ceter &omitin( after feedin(s' Mother calls out of hours emer(ency ser&ice' 4 June: Chysician &isit for )ain, diarrhea and &omitin(' 9 June: Ceter2s mother seen for de)ression by mental health wor#er, Harolina Jamry' 19 June: Chysician &isit, second immuni=ations' 11 August: Ceter2s mother sees Ms Jamry about marital )roblems' 15 Septem er: /ome &isit by health &isitor A&onne 3ou(las' 19 Septem er: 1een by )hysician for na))y rash'

13 !ct" er: 1een by )hysician for bruisin( to head and chest' Mother claims this was caused by an accidental fall down stairs' 17 #"$em er: Chysician &isit for u))er res)iratory tract infection and thrush' 11 %ecem er: Ceter admitted to <hittin(ton /os)ital in north London with bruisin( to forehead and nose, sternum and ri(ht shoulderObreast' 12 %ecem er: Ceter examined and referred to child abuse in&esti(ation team' Ceter is seen by 3C, 4n(ela 1lade' 13 %ecem er: Ceter examined on ward by consultant )ediatrician, /eather Mac#innon' 14 %ecem er: Ceter examined on ward by 3r Mac#innon' 15 %ecem er: Ceter dischar(ed into care of 4n(ela %odfrey' 4 )olice in&esti(ation be(ins' 18 %ecem er: 1ocial wor#er, 4(nes <hite, &isits Ceter2s mother at home' 19 %ecem er: Ceter2s mother and (randmother are arrested and inter&iewed at /ornsey )olice station in north London' 21 %ecem er: Ceter2s le( x*rayed at hos)ital' 22 %ecem er: Ceter2s mother attends a child )rotection conference with /arin(ey social wor#ers and 3r Mac#innon' 24 %ecem er: 4n emer(ency duty team &isits 4n(ela %odfrey2s home to chec# on Ceter' 27 %ecem er: 1ocial wor#er, 4(nes <hite, &isits C at %odfrey2s home and returns later unannounced' 29 %ecem er: 4(nes <hite returns to chec# on Ceter2s contact with his mother' 2007 9 January: 4n(ela %odfrey ta#es Ceter to health clinic for thrush on buttoc#s and is seen by A&onne 3ou(las' 12 January: Ceter2s le( is x*rayed a(ain at the hos)ital' 16 January: 4(nes <hite chec#s for a second time on Ceter2s contact with his mother' 17 January: Ceter2s le( is x*rayed a(ain at the hos)ital' 19 January: Mother seen by Ms' Jamry' 25 January: Chysician &isit for na))y rash' 26 January: +e)eat &isit by 4(nes <hite to chec# on Ceter2s contact with his mother, who is seen on the same day by Ms Jamry' 2 &e ruary: Ceter2s third set of &accinations and Maria <ard assi(ned as social wor#er'

8 &e ruary: Creliminary assessment of mother by uns)ecified official, Caroline 1ussex' 18 &e ruary: Ceter and mother mo&ed to new address in /arin(ey' 22 &e ruary: 1ocial wor#er Maria <ard2s first home &isit' 27 &e ruary: Miss <ard attends case conference at /arin(ey' 2 March: Miss <ard and health &isitor Caulette Thomas &isit mother at home' 5 March: Miss <ard :uestions mother after school nurse sees her sla) a child' 6 March: 6nannounced &isit by Miss <ard' 8 March: >isit by Miss <ard' 14 March: >isit by family su))ort ser&ice wor#er, Marie Loc#hart' 16 March: /arin(ey child )rotection conference with mother, attended by Miss <ard and Miss Loc#hart' 20 March: Mother and Ceter &ideoed at )arentin( class' 22 March: Miss <ard &isit' 23 March: !ne*year chec# at health clinic' 29 March: /arin(ey case conference' 9 April: Ceter seen by )hysician with bruisin( to face' Mother claims he was )ushed into a fire)lace by another child' Ceter is admitted to $orth Middlesex /os)ital in Enfield, north London, for bruisin( and swellin( to his head' 10 April: Ceter referred to child de&elo)ment clinic by a social wor#er who sees him 0head*ban(in(0' 11 April: Ceter dischar(ed from $orth Middlesex /os)ital' 12 April: Child )rotection meetin( at $orth Middlesex' 24 April: /ome &isit by Miss <ard' 3 May: Mother and Ceter attend )arentin( class 9 May: Clanned home &isit by health &isitor, Ms' Thomas' 16 May: 9amily su))ort &isit by Ms' Loc#hart' 18 May: Chysician &isit for hi&es, an aller(ic reaction' 21 May: Miss <ard &isits' 1 June: Miss <ard ma#es an unannounced &isit and re)orts Ceter2s mother to )olice o&er bruises to Ceter, who is ta#en to $orth Middlesex /os)ital for a chec#u)' 5 June: Mother inter&iewed under caution at /ornsey )olice station' 6 June: Ceter seen by Ms Thomas at the health clinic' 7 June: More immuni=ations at )hysician sur(ery and child )rotection meetin( at $orth Middlesex /os)ital' 8 June: Colice ta#e )hotos of Ceter and sei=e a toy from his home'

12 June: +e(istered child*minder, 4nne <al#er, ta#es Ceter for day care for 1days' 15 June: /ome &isit by Ms' Loc#hart' 19 June: Miss <ard &isits child*minder' 20 June: Case conference at /arin(ey' 21 June: Ceter and mother attend a )arentin( class' 5 July: Mother and Ceter attend a )arentin( class' 9 July: Mother ta#es Ceter to $orth Middlesex /os)ital with an ear infection' 11 July: /ome &isit by Miss <ard' 18 July: Ceter seen at health clinic for a scal) and ear infection' 19 July: Mother and Ceter attend a )arentin( class and (o to $orth Middlesex /os)ital about the ear infection' 26 July: Chysician &isit for head lice and blood in Ceter2s ear' 30 July: Case conference at /arin(ey' /ome &isit by Miss <ard' Mother is feelin( stressed' 1 August: Ceter seen at 1t 4nn2s /os)ital in north London by locum )ediatrician, 1abah 4l Layyat' 2 August: Mother told )olice to ta#e no further action o&er assault alle(ations' 3 August: 11:36 'M(: 999 call' 11:40 'M(: 4mbulance arri&es' 11:43: 4mbulance lea&es' 11:49: 4mbulance arri&es at hos)ital' 12:10 'M(: Ceter )ronounced dead and )olice called' 13:30 'M(: 7ody ma)s com)leted' 13:45 'M(: Mother arrested'

LET DOWN BY EVERYONE WHO SHOULD HAVE CARED AND PROTECTED

The first re&iew and re)ort on the death of Ceter was com)letely inade:uate' t was o&erseen by 1harron 1hoesmith, the head of /arin(ey children"s ser&ices at the time when Ceter was bein( so badly let down by them and at the time of his death' 1he acted as chairman of the re)ort e&en thou(h it was her own social wor#ers that

were under scrutiny' The summary, )ublished in $o&ember of 2--8, unbelie&ably cited 8numerous exam)les of (ood )ractice" in Ceter"s care' /er re&iew described the relationshi) between Connelly and her children as 8lar(ely )ositi&e"' t hi(hli(hted the 8reasonable .ud(ment" used by )rofessionals and )raised them for carryin( out 8rele&ant a(ency chec#s"' Children"s minister Tim Lou(hton, said of the re&iew that it was com)lacent and did not (et to the bottom as to how many o))ortunities were missed' Miss 1hoesmith told Members of Carliament EMCsF that the outcry o&er Ceter"s death was 8absurd"' !fsted ins)ectors ruled Miss 1hoesmith"s re&iew 8inade:uate" and she was sac#ed from her D1?-,--- a year .ob' Miss 1hoesmith then started le(al )roceedin(s a(ainst her sac#in(' /er lawyers ar(ued she was dismissed after Children2s 1ecretary, Ed 7alls, allowed himself to be influenced by a 0media storm and witch*hunt0 o&er the 7aby Ceter case' The 4))eal Court concluded that she was unfairly sac#ed because Mr' 7alls and /arin(ey did not (i&e her a )ro)er chance to defend her case before her remo&al' The 3e)artment for Education and /arin(ey sou(ht )ermission to attem)t to o&erturn the rulin( in the 1u)reme Court, but a court s)o#esman said that their a))lications had been refused' Mr' 7alls said he was 0&ery sur)rised and concerned0 and ur(ed the (o&ernment to consider chan(in( the law to clarify ministers2 )owers' /e said, 0 fear that the 4))eal Court .ud(ment will now ma#e it &ery difficult for ministers to act swiftly in the )ublic interest to use their statutory )owers when children are at ris#, as did in this case0' The former children2s secretary said, 0This .ud(ment creates a serious and worryin( constitutional ambi(uity which now re:uires ur(ent action from the (o&ernment to resol&e'0 Mr' 7alls said that the !fsted re)ort into Ceter2s death catalo(ued 0catastro)hic mana(ement failures0 on such a de&astatin( scale that /arin(ey2s council leader and lead member for children2s ser&ices resi(ned their )osts' 0My clear res)onsibility and duty as 1ecretary of 1tate was to do e&erythin( in my )ower to #ee) children safe in /arin(ey and across the country,0 said Mr' 7alls, 0 .ud(ed on the basis of that inde)endent re)ort, and on the ad&ice of de)artmental officials and lawyers, that the ri(ht and res)onsible course of action was for me to use my statutory )owers to remo&e the director of children2s ser&ices from her )osition with immediate effect'0

Mr' 7alls insisted that he had been actin( within his )owers under the Education 4ct and in line with the ad&ice of ci&il ser&ants and (o&ernment lawyers' Their ad&ice was that it would not be 0a))ro)riate0 for him to meet Miss 1hoesmith to hear her side of the story before remo&in( her from her )ost' /e said, 0Ministers need to be able to exercise their le(al duties and ma#e .ud(ments in the )ublic interest based on inde)endent analysis and ad&ice' That is what did and am concerned that this .ud(ment will ma#e it harder for ministers to do so in future' belie&e it is now essential that the %o&ernment acts swiftly to resol&e this ambi(uity, throu(h )rimary le(islation if necessary, to ensure that ministers can act swiftly and within the law when children are at ris#'0 4s#ed on 77C +adio 9our"s Today )ro(ram if it had been ri(ht for her to lose her .ob, Miss 1hoesmith re)lied, J "m clearly not (oin( to say yes to that :uestion'I 1he went on, JThis is much more com)lex than sayin(, 2Aou are res)onsible' Let"s sac# you and the whole )syche of the nation can be at )eace"' Aou cannot sto) the death of children' 4cross the country there are ?9,--- children on child )rotection re(isters today' 4s a director of children"s ser&ices cannot control what the )olice do, cannot control what health does' cannot control the fact that when a social wor#er rin(s to (et an a))ointment at a hos)ital she cannot (et it for four months' cannot control the fact when a social wor#er is referrin( a child for abuse that she rin(s u) and finds that a case has not been allocated to a )olice officer for four months' am not in the blame (ame' don"t do blame'I Jean Taylor, of the &ictim"s (rou), 9amilies 9i(htin( for Justice, said, J1hoesmith has (ot to be answerable' 1he was a )ublic ser&ant, she was )ut in char(e of children"s care and she failed' /er attitude shows sta((erin( conceit' t is a downri(ht insult to 7aby Ceter"s name' J1he should be ashamed of herself and thin# she should sim)ly disa))ear and not court the media limeli(ht'I

1/!E1M T/ C!6+T $% T/E ME3 4 49TE+ /E+ 4CCE4L > CT!+A

3r' 1abah 4l*Layyat was the )hysician who was su))osed to examine Ceter two days before his death but did not because she said the baby was cran#y and failed to s)ot that Ceter"s bac# was bro#en and he had se&eral bro#en ribs' 4 hos)ital s)o#esman said of her failure to examine Ceter )ro)erly, 0E&en a .unior doctor should ha&e reco(ni=ed the ris#s in a situation where there was a letter on file clearly statin( there were child )rotection concerns and the child had &isible bruises' The 1,*month*old may still be ali&e today if the )ediatric consultant had conducted a full medical examination and recommended that he be ta#en from his mother' The doctor noticed bruises on him but decided a(ainst the examination because he was 8miserable and cran#y"' 1he later said Ceter didn"t loo# any different than a child with a cold'0 3r' 4l*Layyat was the first )erson to be sac#ed in the wa#e of the scandal when she was dismissed by %reat !rmond 1treet /os)ital E%!1/F in May 2--8' 1he was sus)ended from )racticin( by the %eneral Medical Council while the in&esti(ation too# )lace' 4l*Layyat was em)loyed on a rollin( six*month contract by %!1/ on a salary of more than D,B,---' The doctor, who :ualified in Ca#istan and wor#ed in 1audi 4rabia before mo&in( to 7ritain in 2--5, ar(ued she had been made a sca)e(oat for wider failures'

The children2s hos)ital, which is a $ational /ealth 1er&ice E$/1F Trust, runs the child de&elo)ment centre at 1t 4nn2s /os)ital in Tottenham, where 7aby C was brou(ht in shortly before his death' 4l*Layyat claimed that she was ne&er shown the child2s full medical history and so did not reali=e he was the lon(*term &ictim of abuse' 1he started le(al )roceedin(s to sue her em)loyer for unfair dismissal' Misconduct char(es were brou(ht a(ainst her o&er her treatment of Ceter' 1he was accused of #nowin( he was on the child )rotection re(ister, but failin( to carry out an ade:uate examination, failin( to in&esti(ate the ex)lanation offered for his in.uries, and failin( to record whether she considered the )ossibility that he was the &ictim of child abuse' t was also alle(ed that 4l*Layyat failed to dia(nose that Ceter had suffered )hysical abuse, )ossible ne(lect, and emotional abuse, and did not arran(e for him to be admitted to hos)ital' 3r' 4l*Layyat"s hearin( was ad.ourned after a %eneral Medical Council E%MCF fitness to )ractice )anel heard she was 8suicidal", unfit to defend herself' and had left the country' The doctor, who did not attend the hearin(, renewed a bid to a))ly for 8&oluntary erasure" of her name from the medical re(ister' The %MC )anel (ranted her re:uest for 8&oluntary erasure" from the re(ister, meanin( she a&oided a full hearin(' t also meant that she could still )ractice outside the 6nited Hin(dom E6HF' The rulin( meant 3r' 1abah 4l*Layyat a&oided a full )ublic airin( of the &ery serious alle(ations a(ainst her, to the re(ret of the %MC, which felt it would be in the )ublic interest' n addition, the )anel found she bro#e the rules by a))lyin( for a new .ob in the rish +e)ublic without informin( the %MC or tellin( her )ros)ecti&e new em)loyer about the restrictions on her )ractice already im)osed in the wa#e of the trial' Many will say she has (ot off &ery li(htly' 4lthou(h she won2t be able to )ractice in the 6H, there is nothin( to sto) her wor#in( as a doctor elsewhere'

3+' 4L*L4AA4T

7aby Ceter2s )hysician, 3r' Jerome #wue#e, who failed to s)ot that the toddler was sufferin( abuse ei(ht days before his death, was sus)ended for a year for misconduct, but #wue#e esca)ed bein( struc# off by a disci)linary )anel that had )re&iously ruled there were serious failin(s in his handlin( of Ceter Connelly2s case' /e had noticed a mar#ed chan(e in the )ersonality of the )re&iously ha))y 1,*month*old when he was brou(ht to his sur(ery in late July 2--,, obser&in( that the boy seemed 8withdrawn" and )ulled away from him' /e breached his )rofessional duty to the child by not carryin( out a full examination, ma#in( an ur(ent referral for further chec#s, or sharin( information with a health &isitor or social wor#ers, the %eneral Medical Council )anel found' Ceter died ei(ht days after the consultation' The %MC had already found that #wue#e2s fitness to )ractice was im)aired by his misconduct' n announcin( its decision to sus)end him from the medical re(ister for the maximum )eriod of 12 months, but not to stri#e him off, it said that des)ite the 0serious breaches0, his failin(s were 0not fundamentally incom)atible0 with

continued re(istration as a doctor' 4lthou(h concerned at his 0limited insi(ht0 before and durin( the hearin(, the )anel concluded that the )hysician did not )resent a dan(er to )atients in the future, had ta#en extensi&e ste)s to remedy the issues identified, and shown 0undoubted remorse0' The chair of the )anel, Judith <orthin(ton, said it was necessary to sus)end #wue#e for the maximum )eriod 0to maintain )ublic confidence in the )rofession and to declare and u)hold )ro)er standards of conduct and beha&ior0' The )anel had )re&iously ruled that he should ha&e considered the )ossibility of child abuse when he noticed Ceter had bruises on his chest and head at an a))ointment on !ctober 1? 2--;, rather than acce)tin( a claim by the child2s mother that he had fallen downstairs at 0face &alue0' /e also failed to mention these in.uries when he referred Ceter to hos)ital with further bruisin( two months later' <orthin(ton told #wue#e at an earlier hearin(M 0Aour failure towards Ceter Connelly was not an isolated incident' t was a series of failures o&er a )eriod of 1- months and included a number of serious breaches of your )rofessional duty, culminatin( in your failin(s on July 2; 2--, when Ceter Connelly2s mother brou(ht him to see you' !n that day, his chan(ed demeanor and a))earance cou)led with all that you #new about his )ast should ha&e alerted you to the &ery hi(h li#elihood of serious child abuse so that ur(ent action by you was mandated'0 #wue#e, who :ualified as a doctor in $i(eria and wor#ed as a )hysician for nearly 2- years, denied misconduct' /e was su))orted at the hearin( by <est 3rayton* based )hysician, 4nthony %rewal, who s)o#e of his 0hu(e )ersonal res)ect0 for #wue#e and said he would not hesitate to re(ister with him as a )atient'

3+ H<6EHE

Maria <ard and %illie Christou were Ceter"s nominated social wor#er and team mana(er' They were sus)ended for misconduct' Maria <ard was sus)ended for two months and %illie Christou for four months by the %eneral 1ocial Care Council E%1CCF' The )air, who admitted failin(s, had already been sus)ended from )racticin( for 1; months durin( the in&esti(ation' /arin(ey Council sac#ed Ms' <ard and Ms' Christou, but both launched em)loyment tribunal challen(es a(ainst their dismissals' 4t the %1CC hearin(, Ms' <ard and Ms' Christou had acce)ted they did not ensure 7aby Ceter was &isited enou(h@ they lost contact with him for a time, and did not #ee) ade:uate records' The %1CC ruled that the women should not be struc# off the social care re(ister' %1CC committee chairman, Jonathan +oberts, said it had decided not only that 0such a course was dis)ro)ortionate to the facts admitted at this hearin(0, but also that such action would ha&e been 0to satisfy a )ercei&ed )ublic demand for blame and )unishment for a re(istrant who does not )resent a continuin( ris#0' Mr' +oberts added that miti(atin( factors, ta#en into account, included the women2s admissions of the alle(ations a(ainst them, their otherwise unblemished records, the staff shorta(es and excessi&e caseloads at the council at the time, and the fact that 7aby Ceter2s mother was a 0s#illed and mani)ulati&e liar0'

Ceter"s death was 0an eminently a&oidable tra(edy0, said Marios Lambis, counsel for the %1CC, who told the hearin( that the social wor#ers2 efforts had been 0ill* focused, nai&e and inade:uate0' $ic# Toms, counsel for the )air, said that both women 0dee)ly re(ret0 what ha))ened to Ceter and had been 0de&astated0 by the case' JTheir re)utations will )robably ne&er reco&er from the batterin( they ha&e recei&ed in the media,0 he said'

% LL E C/+ 1T!6 4$3 M4+ 4 <4+3

A SICK PAIR OF MONSTERS

f any more )roof was needed as to what sic#, twisted monsters 1te&en 7ar#er and Tracey Connelly were it came at the trial for which 7ar#er was accused of ra)in( and sodomi=in( a two year old (irl' The sadistic ?2*year*old 7ar#er was found (uilty after the (irl became, at the a(e of four, the youn(est ra)e &ictim in le(al history to (i&e e&idence' The (irl was attac#ed by 7ar#er while she was su))osedly bein( monitored by /arin(ey Council' This is the same London borou(h which also failed 7aby Ceter and an earlier &ictim of abuse, >ictoria Climbie' Csychiatrists warned that 7ar#er would always be a dan(er to children and )olice in&esti(ated concerns that he abused two other (irls' 4n inde)endent in&esti(ation be(an into how he was able to tar(et the (irl, seemin(ly under the nose of the local authority' The (irl"s harrowin( account was at the center of the trial and without her #ey e&idence@ the )rosecution could not ha&e (one ahead' The ra)e &ictim, who cannot be named for le(al reasons, was )laced on /arin(ey2s child )rotection re(ister in 3ecember 2--; o&er fears she was at ris# of ne(lect' The social wor#ers in contact with her family had no idea she had been tar(eted by the same )ain*obsessed brute who tortured 7aby Ceter' 1he was later ta#en into foster care, and told her foster mother that Ceter2s ste)father had sexually abused her' Colice and social ser&ices were called, but when detecti&es as#ed the (irl, then a(ed three, if the man had touched her she shoo# her head, and the in&esti(ation was dro))ed, )otentially wastin( a &ital chance to in&esti(ate' Two months later the child made the accusation a(ain and re*enacted the alle(ed ra)e to child )sychiatrists, usin( a doll and a teddy bear to show what had ha))ened' 4 doll and a teddy bear were the only way the little (irl could communicate what had ha))ened to her' 1he )laced the doll on its stomach on a dolls2 bed, and then )laced the teddy bear face down on to) of it, before tellin( a child )sychiatrist that the man had hurt her when she was .ust two' J t was not nice what he did,I she said, J/e hurt me' t hurt all day'I The little (irl2s hauntin( account of what ha))ened to her, (i&en when she was only three, was recorded on &ideo and )layed to the !ld 7ailey'

4fter the court saw the &ideo, the child was sub.ected to a 5B*minute cross* examination' 9or this, she was sittin( with an adult in an !ld 7ailey annex, which was lin#ed to court by &ideo camera' /er ob&ious distress and tou(h :uestionin( at the hands of two defense lawyers raised disturbin( :uestions about how the criminal .ustice system deals with &ery youn( witnesses' 3r' Michele Elliott, of children2s charity Hidsca)e, said, JThis ad&ersarial way of :uestionin( children was outra(eous' !f course a barrister can confuse a four*year*old' 1he will ha&e found it a searin( ex)erience'I 7arbara Esam, of the $1CCC, said, I1ome children who ha&e not been )ro)erly )re)ared for the im)act of (i&in( e&idence ha&e (one on to show )sycholo(ical and )hysical sym)toms, includin( self* harmin(, bed*wettin(, and trouble at school'I The cross*examination left the (irl so u)set that she later called the &ideo room where she (a&e her e&idence Jthe e&il roomI' The Crown Crosecution 1er&ice did not o))ose the decision to allow her to be :uestioned because her testimony was the basis of the case' <ithout her there would ha&e been no )rosecution' t was $o&ember 2--, when she first told her foster care )arent that the man had touched her' 1he was two at the time' <hen a female detecti&e as#ed if she had been abused, the (irl shoo# her head si(nifyin( a JnoI answer' t was two months later@ durin( a meetin( with child )sychiatrist Mar(aret 3eJon( that she (a&e a full account' 3urin( that meetin( in January 2--8, she made a series of startlin( re&elations, sayin( she JhatedI 7aby C2s ste)father and that he had hurt her' 3r' 3eJon( told the court, J1he said 8/e hurt me with his willy"' 1he said it ha))ened lots of times' 1he said she had told him to sto) but that he ne&er did'I Colice (a&e her a full medical examination' 4 &ideo of the subse:uent inter&iew was )layed to the courtroom in which the (i((lin( three*year*old )layed 2sho)s2 and e&en hide*and*see# with )olice' 1he told )olice, J/e hurt me' was slee)in(, he wo#e me u)''' /e was bein( nau(hty a(ain''' was in my 2.amas E)a.amasF' /e was lyin( down''' li#e )en(uins do'I 4s#ed if she had said anythin( to him, she re)lied sim)ly that she had said, J3on2t do it'I The (irl was Connelly"s dau(hter' 9or the cross*examination the .ud(e and lawyers remo&ed their horsehair wi(s before s)ea#in( to her' 1he answered their :uestions throu(h the &ideo lin#' 7ernard +ichmond GC, who defended Ceter2s ste)father, as#ed her if she

understood 2fibs2' Mr' +ichmond as#ed her to remember her $o&ember 2--, )olice meetin( when she shoo# her head when as#ed about abuse' The (irl fell silent when the defense lawyer as#ed her why this was so' Mr' +ichmond )ersisted, firin( :uestions at her until, finally wron(*footed, she a))eared to (i&e the answer he wanted' J/e ne&er touched you, did heK 3id heKI the barrister as#ed' There was silence in the courtroom until, moments later@ she (a&e a tiny sha#e of her head' /er almost im)erce)tible res)onse was sei=ed u)on' J<as it somethin( someone told you to sayK <as it somethin( you made u)KI Mr' +ichmond as#ed' 4fter a lon( )ause she re)liedM J .ust''''I and then fell silent a(ain' Mr' +ichmond said, J ha&e to as# you one more time, he didn2t touch you, did heK <e ha&e to ha&e an answer@ he didn2t touch you, did heK ha&e to wait until (et your answer, so can2t as# any more :uestions' /e didn2t touch you, did heKI 4fter a fi&e*minute brea#, Mr' +ichmond then continued, as#in( the child, J<hat is truthKI 1he (rew u)set, wi)in( her face with her hands, and the barrister was unable to (et any further answers' Caul Mendelle, GC, defendin( Connelly, saw his :uestions met by nods, shru(s and silences from the little (irl' Crosecutor 1ally !2$eill GC said the (irl had sim)ly been confused by their com)lex :uestions, and was too u)set to describe her ordeal' Colice feared her courtroom ex)erience may ha&e caused her untold )sycholo(ical dama(e, on to) of the trauma of the ra)e itself' 4 senior )olice source saidM J<e ho)e this will tri((er a re*examination of how youn( witnesses are handled' t2s somethin( we will )ush for'I 7ar#er was sentenced to a life term with a recommendation he ser&e a minimum of ten years' 7ar#er a))ealed the con&iction and the sentence' 7ut his challen(e was re.ected by the Court of 4))eal in London' /e claimed his con&iction for the ra)e of the two*year*old (irl was 0unsafe0' 7ar#er2s GC, 7ernard +ichmond, had ar(ued at the hearin( that an !ld 7ailey .ud(e should ha&e halted the case a(ainst him' The ar(ument )ut forward to the a))eal .ud(es by Mr' +ichmond was that the e&idence of the (irl should ha&e been excluded' The trial .ud(e, he submitted, should ha&e ruled that the child was not a 8com)etent" witness' Lord Chief Justice, Lord Jud(e, said the child 0was indeed a com)ellin( as well as a com)etent witness0' /e added, 0!n all the e&idence this .ury was entitled to conclude that the

alle(ation was )ro&ed' 6nless we sim)ly resuscitate the tired and outdated misconce)tions about the e&idence of children, there is no .ustifiable basis for interferin( with the &erdict'0 Lord Jud(e said both 7aby Ceter and the ra)e &ictim, referred to only as P, were 0exce)tionally &ulnerable by reason of their a(es and the a))ellant2s acti&ity re)resented a (ross breach of trust0' /e added, 04ll the re)orts u)on the a))ellant indicate that he is a dan(er to youn( children' /e committed a))allin( crimes'0 4 s)o#esman for the Crown Crosecution 1er&ice said it was )leased with the .ud(ment, addin( the &ictim 0demonstrated extraordinary coura(e0' 0Those who abuse children should remember that their &ictims are not too youn( to hel) secure a con&iction,0 he added' Lord Chief Justice, Lord Jud(e, Lady Justice /allett, and Mrs' Justice Macur, also dismissed 7ar#er2s a))eal a(ainst his sentence' 7ar#er"s dramatic con&iction in the ra)e case meant the ban on re)ortin( the trial was lifted' 4s a result, 7aby C was named for the first time as Ceter, at the re:uest of his real father, the re)ort into his death said it could ha&e been )re&ented, and /arin(ey issued a (ro&elin( a)olo(y o&er its failures to )rotect the children' Tracey Connelly had faced a char(e of cruelty in relation to the ra)e, but was found not (uilty by the .ury of ei(ht men and four women' The (irl told the !ld 7ailey that Connelly wal#ed in durin( the sex attac#, but made no attem)t to sto) it or to rescue her' The &ictim claimed Connelly had only turned to 7ar#er and wa((ed her fin(er at him, tellin( him, J3on2t do that''' 3on2t do it'I 3etecti&es belie&ed the con&icted child ra)ist may ha&e sexually abused the two*year*old (irl at least three times in 2--,, before his arrest o&er Ceter2s death in 4u(ust 2--,' 7ut he was only char(ed with a sin(le count of ra)e, because lawyers feared it would be too difficult for his youn( &ictim to try to (i&e e&idence about se&eral different occasions'

BEYOND BELIEF

Tracey Connelly (a&e birth to a dau(hter while on remand at /olloway )rison, and in a mo&e which was beyond belief, social wor#ers wanted her to #ee) the baby and ha&e time to bond' Colice inter&ened and the child was soon ta#en into care, )ut u) for ado)tion and (i&en the chance of a better life' Crison was a comfort for Connelly and she )iled on the wei(ht, eatin( chocolate, watchin( tele&ision, and ta#in( )art in the odd )ottery class' n a letter to a friend a month after bein( sentenced, she was still obli&ious to her crimes, 0 ha&e ne&er been the best mum in the world, but 2m not the worst and 2m not the sort of mum who would hurt her children'0 3enyin( that she #new what 7ar#er had done, she said, 0as the wee#s and months )assed slowly started to wa#e u) to the truth, so now ho)e he rots in hell0' The failed mother was already )lannin( a )arty for when she (ot out of )rison' 1he wrote to the friend, 0 tell ya, when (et out, 2m in no rush to (et in a relationshi) with a man a(ain, but mi(ht ha&e fun )layin( the field and tra&ellin( Eone lon( )artyQF' /o)e you2re (oin( to .oin in the )arty'0 n another, she wrote, 0 would lo&e to &isit E(y)t and %reece and +ome' would lo&e to see the )yramids and (o down the $ile'0 Just days before she was )ublicly named, she was mo&ed from /olloway to Low $ewton, near 3urham, where she had been )laced in solitary confinement for her own safety' There was a massi&e bac#lash a(ainst Tracey Connelly when her identity was made )ublic' Guic#ly after she was transferred to Low $ewton, she became a tar(et for other inmates who found out she was there' 1he was swiftly transferred to 5;-*inmate 1tyal <omen2s Crison in Cheshire, but news of her arri&al caused similar outra(e amon( )risoners' Connelly re&ealed in letters to a friend that des)ite bein( widely condemned followin( the death of her 1,*month toddler, that she had recei&ed no fewer than six marria(e )ro)osals since the start of her )rison sentence' Connelly who had already ser&ed a third of her fi&e year .ail s)ell, boasted of the )ro)osals sayin(, J ha&e had some stran(e letters, includin( six men as#in( me to marry them' $eedless to say binned the lettersQQI 1he had also re&ealed how she was im)ro&in( her culinary s#ills, includin( masterin( the reci)e for a )i==a base alon( with some memorable .am tarts' Connelly wrote, J did ma#e some lo&ely .am tarts the other wee# and learned how to ma#e )i==a dou(h a few wee#s bac#' Crison life is &ery slow and almost e&ery day is the same, but unli#e most win(s we are allowed to coo# our own meals' 1ome of us lo&e to ba#e ca#es when it2s a birthday we treat each other a lot'

4t the moment 2m about 19*and*a*half stone E2,? lbs'F as )ut on a lot of wei(ht when came to )rison'I Tracey did ex)ress some remorse when she wrote, J wish could turn bac# the cloc# and chan(e thin(s, but can2t do so, all can do is loo# to the future and ho)e for the best' t is &ery )ainful to tal# about as failed my son' 2m tryin( to (et my head bac# to(ether' ho)e in time will learn how to for(i&e myself but it will ta#e a lot of time and a lot of counselin('I 4s for 7ar#er, she insisted that she could ne&er for(i&e him des)ite him claimin( that his sins ha&e been )ardoned since becomin( a Jeho&ah2s <itness' 1he wrote, J4s for 1te&en sayin( %od for(i&es him, well truly ho)e %od does for(i&e him as #now ne&er can' Thin( is, hate him' f 2m honest, wish didn2t hate him it means still thin# of him' want to feel nothin( for him' My future )lans are .ust to )ro&e myself as a )erson so can (et out'I The e&il mum of e&en boasted of her 0.oy0 at (ettin( )rison &isits from her children' 1he (loated about the &isits in one of the letters, writin( that her 11*year* old eldest dau(hter 0hasn2t chan(ed much0 and is still 0bossy0' Connelly, was allowed to see the children twice a year while she ser&ed the rest of her sentence' The )erson who recei&ed the letter about the &isits from her children said, 0 t2s sic#enin( how she tal#s of her #ids but ne&er Ceter' t2s li#e he ne&er existed' Tracey constantly says how much she lo&es the (irls, but it2s hard to listen because of what ha))ened to Ceter and she thin#s she can continue where she left off with her #ids when she (ets out, but she can2t' 1he li#es s)endin( time with them as they don2t #now what the rest of the world #nows about her, maybe because they2re too youn(' To them she2s still mum' 1adly, one day they2ll learn what she did'0 n the letter, Tracey also re&ealed she had been doin( 7ible studies and has be(un an !)en 6ni&ersity de(ree' f there was e&er a female who should ne&er be allowed anywhere near a child e&er a(ain it surely has to be Tracey Connelly' 1he is u) for )arole in 2-12 and )etitions ha&e already been circulated to #ee) her in )rison'

JUSTICE NOT DONE

!n the Bth of 4u(ust 2-11, Jason !wen wal#ed out of .ail, a free man' The monster left <andsworth Crison in southwest London early in the afternoon' /is release came .ust two days after the fourth anni&ersary of tortured 1,*month*old Ceter Connelly2s shoc#in( death' !wen had ser&ed .ust o&er two years in )rison' /e did not recei&e the new identity or face lift he had demanded whilst ser&in( his sentence' /e was released to a bail hostel in London' $ews)a)ers )ut a))eals out to members of the )ublic to tell them where !wen was' /e was seen strollin( in a )ar# amon(st mothers and children, the same a(e as Ceter would ha&e been had he li&ed' /e was then s)otted on an outin( from the )robation hostel for hi(h ris# offenders casually wal#in( down the street in smart new clothes@ he loo#ed relaxed, slim and fit' !n his ri(ht arm was a tattoo with the )ro&ocati&e slo(an

8!nly %od can .ud(e me"' /e had thrown himself into an extreme fitness re(ime behind bars, includin( runs of as lon( as ei(ht miles' /e now bears little resemblance to the scruffy, bloated and hollow*eyed )olice mu( shot ta#en in 2--,' The release of !wen is the latest )ainful in.ustice that has characteri=ed the case' 7aby Ceter was failed by the authorities at e&ery turn'

!<E$1 1 CH T4TT!!

FOREVER REMEMBERED
Ceter Connelly will ne&er be for(otten, neither will the monsters and authorities who were res)onsible for his death' nternet tribute sites still recei&e thousands of tributes, )oems and messa(es of lo&e from )eo)le all o&er the world' 4 .umbled collection of teddy bears, toys and flowers are the only indication of the final restin( )lace of the child' E&ery year at Easter, Christmas and on his birthday, tributes are left and he is shown the lo&e he sadly missed durin( his short life'

7aby Ceter"s ashes were )laced, by his father, in a :uiet corner of a London cemetery, at the foot of an oa# tree, res)lendent in its autumn colors' <here the ashes of 7aby C are scattered, there exists a tribute to a child whose short, tortured life has touched the heart of a nation' There2s no (ra&estone and no )la:ue' 7aby Ceter"s father is said to ha&e intentionally left the s)ot unmar#ed so that none of the )eo)le in&ol&ed in his death would be able to &isit his (ra&e' /owe&er, there is a memorial of teddy bears that shows an affection which was absent in his 1,* month*old life' /e li&ed a life which was brutally ended by those who were meant to care for him'

TRIBUTES TO AN ANGEL