Baby P's mother, stepfather jailed

The mother and stepfather of Baby P, a toddler who died after months of abuse in a case which outraged Britain, were jailed yesterday for their roles in the boy's death.

The boy's mother was sentenced to at least five years in jail for failing to prevent the death, which caused shock in Britain after it emerged that authorities had failed to spot the abuse despite seeing him at least 60 times.

The 32-year-old stepfather was jailed for 12 years for his part in the death and was also given a life sentence with a minimum of 10 years at London's Old Bailey court for raping a two-year-old girl in a separate case.

His sentences will run concurrently.

Neither the mother nor the stepfather can be named for legal reasons.

Baby P, who can now be named as Peter, was 17 months old when he was found dead in a blood-spattered cot at his home in Haringey, London, in August 2007. He had suffered fractured ribs and a broken back among more than 50 injuries despite being classified as at-risk.

Judge Stephen Kramer said: "Any decent person who heard the catalogue of medical conditions and non-accidental injuries suffered by Peter cannot fail to have been appalled.

"It was clear that significant force had been used on Peter on a number of occasions.

"Whatever the truth of what took place and the role and motivation of each individual, the result was that a child died in horrific circumstances with injuries that can only have caused great pain and distress prior to his death."

He told Peter's 27-year-old mother: "You are a manipulative and self-centred person, with a calculating side as well as a temper.

"I reject the suggestion that you were blind to what was happening in that house or that you were naïve.

"Your conduct over the months prevented Peter from being seen by social services. You actively deceived the authorities."