Baby P lodger wins appeal against sentence

ONE of the three people jailed over the death of Baby P won an appeal against his indefinite sentence yesterday.

Jason Owen, 37, was originally given an indeterminate sentence for public protection — with a minimum term of three years — at the Old Bailey in May.

But three judges in the Court of Appeal in London allowed his appeal against the indefinite term of imprisonment, and replaced it with a sentence of six years imprisonment.

Owen, of Bromley, Kent, was jailed along with Baby Peter’s mother Tracey Connelly, 28, of Penshurst Road, Tottenham, north London, and her boyfriend Steven Barker, 33, for causing or allowing the death of the 17-month-old.

He was not present in court for the ruling.

Owen — who is Barker’s brother but changed his name after the child’s death — had been staying at Peter’s home with his 15-year-old girlfriend.

His QC, Tim Roberts, argued that an indefinite sentence in Owen’s case was “wrong in principle” as there was no evidence he posed a significant risk of future serious harm to members of the public.

Justice Hughes, quashing the indeterminate sentence, said: “His present offence is deeply unpleasant because a completely innocent child who he could have protected was not protected by him against harm by others.

“He displays a willingness to deceive ... which is unattractive, but to translate that into a significant risk that he will himself in the future commit offences involving death or serious personal injury to the public is ... simply a step too far.”

It emerged yesterday that Peter’s mother, who was jailed indefinitely with a minimum term of five years, had dropped an appeal bid against her sentence which was expected to be heard along with Owen’s case.

Peter Connelly was found dead in August 2007. He had more than 50 injuries, including fractured ribs and a broken back.