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Killing of Peter Connelly

SOLVED2007London Borough of Haringey, London, UK3 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026

Documents violence · sexual violence · crimes against children · domestic violence — written to inform, not to shock.

Illustrative

Peter Connelly was born on 1 March 2006 in London. His biological father left the family home a few months after his birth, and in November 2006 his mother Tracey Connelly's new boyfriend, Steven Barker, moved into their home. In December 2006, a general practitioner noticed bruises on Peter's face and chest, leading to his mother's arrest and Peter's temporary placement with a family friend; he returned to his mother's care in January 2007. Over subsequent months, Peter was hospitalised twice with injuries including bruising, scratches, and swelling. Connelly was arrested again in May 2007.

In June 2007, a social worker observed marks on Peter and alerted police; a medical examination attributed the bruising to abuse. On 4 June, Peter was again placed with a family friend for safeguarding, but on 25 July 2007 Haringey Council's Children & Young People's Service received legal advice that the threshold for care proceedings had not been met. On 1 August 2007, locum paediatrician Sabah Al-Zayyat examined Peter at St Ann's Hospital; a subsequent post-mortem indicated that serious injuries, including a broken back and broken ribs, likely predated this examination but went undetected. The following day, Connelly was told she would not be prosecuted. On 3 August 2007, Peter was found unresponsive in his cot and was pronounced dead at North Middlesex Hospital. A post-mortem found he had swallowed a tooth after being punched, and had sustained a broken back, broken ribs, mutilated fingertips, and missing fingernails. Police launched a murder investigation and arrested his mother.

At trial, Jason Owen and Steven Barker were found guilty on 11 November 2008 of causing or allowing the death of a child or vulnerable person; Tracey Connelly had already pleaded guilty to the same charge. Owen and Connelly were earlier cleared of murder due to insufficient evidence, and a jury found Barker not guilty of murder. In a second trial in April 2009, Barker was found guilty of raping a two-year-old girl who was also on Haringey's child protection register, while Connelly was found not guilty of related child cruelty charges. Sentencing for both trials occurred on 22 May 2009 at the Old Bailey: Connelly received indefinite imprisonment for public protection with a five-year minimum term; Barker received life imprisonment for rape (ten-year minimum) and a concurrent 12-year sentence for his role in Peter's death; Owen received an indefinite sentence with a three-year minimum, later changed on appeal to a fixed six-year term.

The case prompted multiple inquiries, including an internal Haringey Council serious case review, a nationwide review by Lord Laming of his earlier recommendations following the murder of Victoria Climbié, and General Medical Council examinations of two doctors involved in Peter's care. Sharon Shoesmith, head of children's services at Haringey, was removed from her post in December 2008; she later successfully appealed her dismissal at the Court of Appeal in 2011 and was reported in 2013 to have accepted a six-figure payout for unfair dismissal. Council leader George Meehan and councillor Liz Santry also resigned. In March 2012, Peter's biological father, referred to as "KC," was awarded £75,000 in libel damages after a newspaper wrongly identified him as a convicted sex offender.

Key facts

Victims
Peter Connelly
Date
2007
Location
London Borough of Haringey, London, UK
Case status
solved

Case timeline

  1. 2006-03-01

    Peter Connelly is born to Tracey Connelly.

  2. 2006-11

    Tracey Connelly's boyfriend Steven Barker moves into the family home.

  3. 2006-12

    A GP notices bruises on Peter; his mother is arrested and Peter is temporarily placed with a family friend.

  4. 2007-01

    Peter returns to his mother's care.

  5. 2007-05

    Tracey Connelly is arrested again after Peter is hospitalised with injuries.

  6. 2007-06

    A social worker observes marks on Peter and informs police; medical examination concludes abuse.

  7. 2007-06-04

    Peter is placed with a family friend for safeguarding.

  8. 2007-07-25

    Haringey Council's Children & Young People's Service receives legal advice that the threshold for care proceedings has not been met.

  9. 2007-08-01

    Peter is examined by locum paediatrician Sabah Al-Zayyat at St Ann's Hospital; serious injuries reportedly go undetected.

  10. 2007-08-02

    Tracey Connelly is informed she will not be prosecuted.

  11. 2007-08-03

    Peter is found unresponsive in his cot and is pronounced dead at North Middlesex Hospital; a murder investigation begins.

  12. 2008-11-11

    Jason Owen and Steven Barker are found guilty of causing or allowing the death of a child or vulnerable person; Tracey Connelly had already pleaded guilty.

  13. 2008-12-01

    External inquiry report presented to ministers; Sharon Shoesmith is removed from her post as head of Haringey children's services.

  14. 2008-12-08

    Sharon Shoesmith is dismissed by Haringey Council without compensation.

  15. 2009-03-12

    Lord Laming publishes his report on child protection reforms following the Victoria Climbié case.

  16. 2009-03-15

    The Mail on Sunday reports details of Haringey's confidential serious case review.

  17. 2009-04

    Second trial: Barker is found guilty of raping a two-year-old girl; Connelly is found not guilty of child cruelty charges. Haringey also dismisses several officials.

  18. 2009-05-01

    The High Court lifts the anonymity order preventing publication of Baby P's identity.

  19. 2009-05-22

    Sentencing takes place at the Old Bailey for Connelly, Barker, and Owen.

  20. 2009-08-10

    Anonymity order concerning the identities of Peter's mother and her boyfriend expires, revealing their full identities.

  21. 2010-04

    The High Court dismisses Sharon Shoesmith's legal claim against Ed Balls, Ofsted, and Haringey Council.

  22. 2011-05

    Sharon Shoesmith's appeal against her dismissal succeeds in the Court of Appeal.

  23. 2011-08-01

    Applications for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court against the Shoesmith ruling are refused.

  24. 2011-08

    Jason Owen is released from prison.

  25. 2012-03-05

    Peter's biological father is awarded £75,000 in libel damages.

  26. 2013-04

    Jason Owen is recalled to prison.

  27. 2013-10-29

    BBC News reports Sharon Shoesmith agreed to a six-figure payout for unfair dismissal.

  28. 2013

    Tracey Connelly is released on licence.

  29. 2015

    Tracey Connelly returns to prison for breaching parole.

  30. 2015-09

    A survey of health visitors finds 47% think a similar death is somewhat or very likely to recur.

  31. 2019-12

    Tracey Connelly is refused parole for a third time.

  32. 2022-05

    It is reported that Tracey Connelly would be released from prison.

  33. 2022-07-07

    Tracey Connelly is given parole.

  34. 2024-09

    Tracey Connelly is recalled to prison after breaching licence conditions.

Best coverage

No approved coverage links are attached yet.

People

  • Jerome Ikwueke

    LAW ENFORCEMENT

    GP who had twice referred Peter to hospital specialists; suspended for 18 months by the GMC's Interim Orders Panel following its examination of his role; not criminally charged.

    citation on file

  • Peter Connelly

    VICTIM

    17-month-old boy who died on 3 August 2007 after suffering more than fifty injuries over an eight-month period.

    citation on file

  • Sharon Shoesmith

    LAW ENFORCEMENT

    Head of children's services at Haringey Council; removed from her post in December 2008; successfully appealed her dismissal in the Court of Appeal in 2011 and later accepted a six-figure payout for unfair dismissal.

    citation on file

  • Steven Barker

    CONVICTED

    Tracey Connelly's partner; found guilty on 11 November 2008 of causing or allowing the death of a child or vulnerable person (found not guilty of murder); also found guilty in April 2009 of raping a two-year-old girl; sentenced to life imprisonment with a 10-year minimum for rape and a concurrent 12-year sentence for the death.

    citation on file

  • Jason Owen

    CONVICTED

    Steven Barker's brother; found guilty on 11 November 2008 of causing or allowing the death of a child or vulnerable person (found not guilty of murder); sentenced indefinitely with a three-year minimum, later changed on appeal to a fixed six-year term.

    citation on file

  • Sabah Al-Zayyat

    LAW ENFORCEMENT

    Locum paediatrician who examined Peter two days before his death; suspended pending a General Medical Council inquiry and her contract with Great Ormond Street Hospital was terminated; role_detail reflects that she is not charged with a crime but was subject to professional disciplinary examination.

    citation on file

  • Tracey Connelly

    CONVICTED

    Peter's mother; pleaded guilty to causing or allowing the death of a child or vulnerable person; sentenced 22 May 2009 to indefinite imprisonment for public protection with a five-year minimum term; also faced but was found not guilty of related child cruelty charges in a second trial.

    citation on file

Places

London Borough of Haringey, London, UK

51.5000, -0.1167

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Common questions

What happened to the victim?
Peter Connelly, a 17-month-old boy known publicly as "Baby P," died in London on 3 August 2007 after suffering more than fifty injuries over eight months, despite repeated contact with child protection and health services. His mother Tracey Connelly, her partner Steven Barker, and Barker's brother Jason Owen were convicted of causing or allowing his death.
Where did the killing happen?
London Borough of Haringey, London, UK.
Who was convicted?
Steven Barker (Tracey Connelly's partner; found guilty on 11 November 2008 of causing or allowing the death of a child or vulnerable person (found not guilty of murder); also found guilty in April 2009 of raping a two-year-old girl; sentenced to life imprisonment with a 10-year minimum for rape and a concurrent 12-year sentence for the death.), Jason Owen (Steven Barker's brother; found guilty on 11 November 2008 of causing or allowing the death of a child or vulnerable person (found not guilty of murder); sentenced indefinitely with a three-year minimum, later changed on appeal to a fixed six-year term.), and Tracey Connelly (Peter's mother; pleaded guilty to causing or allowing the death of a child or vulnerable person; sentenced 22 May 2009 to indefinite imprisonment for public protection with a five-year minimum term; also faced but was found not guilty of related child cruelty charges in a second trial.).
What is the current status of the case?
Status: solved. Last verified July 2026.

Sources

  1. Killing of Peter Connellywikipedia · Wikipedia · 2026-07-05
  2. Contemporaneous coverage — BBC Newsnews · BBC News · 2026-07-05
  3. Contemporaneous coverage — The Guardiannews · The Guardian · 2026-07-05

Last verified JUL 2026

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