Baby P mother gets indefinite jail term

The mother of Baby P, the toddler who died following an horrific campaign of abuse, was this morning jailed indefinitely.

Baby Peter's 27-year-old mother, who cannot be named, her 32-year-old boyfriend and lodger Jason Owen, 37, were convicted last year of causing or allowing his death in August 2007 at the age of just 17 months.

He had suffered a broken back and over 40 serious injuries during prolonged domestic violence, despite being on Haringey Council's child protection register.

After a two-day hearing at the Old Bailey, the mother was told she would serve a minimum of five years, the Press Association reported.

Her boyfriend, who earlier this month was also found guilty of raping a two-year-old girl, was jailed for life for that 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 Baby P's death.

The lodger, Owen, was given an indeterminate sentence, with a minimum term of three years.

In a statement read out by her lawyer to the court yesterday, Peter's mother apologised for her failings.

"I know I can't forgive myself of my shortcomings. I am truly sorry," she said.

"I accept I failed Peter. By not being fully open with social services I stopped them from being able to do a full job.

"Now every day of my life is full of guilt. I punish myself on a daily basis and there is not a day that goes by that I don't cry at some point."

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.

Sharon Shoesmith, head of children's services at Haringey, was sacked and other senior council officials quit after a review ordered by Children's Secretary Ed Balls found serious concerns over child protection in the borough.

Balls said the report by national inspectors was "devastating". He also ordered a new "serious case review" into Peter's death after the inspectors found the one prepared by the authority was inadequate.

Earlier this month, NHS bodies were also criticised for systemic failures that failed to prevent Peter's death.