The mother of Baby P, jailed for causing or allowing her toddler son to die following an horrific campaign of domestic violence, has been officially named after the lifting of a court order today.
Tracey Connelly (28) and her boyfriend Steven Barker (33) were convicted last year of being responsible for the death of baby Peter in August 2007.
The 17-month-old toddler suffered a broken back and over 40 serious injuries during a prolonged period of violence, despite being on Haringey Council's child protection register.
The Old Bailey heard he had been used as a "punch-bag", had fractured ribs, multiple sores and that his mother had covered up bruises by smearing chocolate on his face. A High Court order, which expired at midnight, had banned the identification of Connelly or Barker, or that Jason Owen, (37) the couple's lodger who was also convicted of the same charges over the toddler's death, is Barker's brother.
News that Peter had suffered months of abuse despite being regularly monitored by social services, doctors and the police provoked outrage from politicians and the public.
It has also made Connelly, who has previously been named on various Internet websites, a hate figure.
Connelly's mother, who has disowned her, welcomed the naming and shaming of her daughter.
Mary O'Connor, 59, told the Sunnewspaper: "I hope she rots in hell."
"They killed my grandson and deserve everything coming to them," she said.
Connelly was given an indefinite jail term in May and told she would serve at least five years in prison.
The judge, Stephen Kramer, said she was manipulative, self-centred and selfish.
The crimes committed by all three offenders are so notorious that, under human rights laws, they may need police protection and possibly new identities once released from prison at the taxpayers' expense.
Barker, who was also found guilty of raping a two-year-old girl, was jailed for life for the rape and told he must serve at least 10 years in jail.
That sentence will run concurrently with a 12-year sentence he was given for his role in Peter's death.
Owen, who changed his name after Peter's death, was given an indeterminate sentence, with a minimum of three years.
The revealing of Barker's identity means it can be disclosed that the brothers were also accused of assaulting their own grandmother at her home in Kent to try to make her change her will, the Press Association reported.
They were accused of locking Hilda Barker, 82, in a wardrobe in 1995. The case was dropped the following year, before the Barkers came to trial, after she died from pneumonia.
Reuters