Mother of Baby P is now 'too scared' to leave her hostel since leaving prison after serving jail sentence for torturing her child to death

The killer mother of Baby P is now 'too scared' to leave her hostel since she was released from prison over the brutal murder of her toddler son, who was tortured to death. 

Tracey Connelly, now 41, was taken from HM Prison Low Newton in County Durham to start a secret new life in a bail hostel in July last year.

But her return to public life has reportedly been met with confrontation from locals who have recognised the notorious killer, despite Connolly being advised to 'lose weight and dye her hair' to stay hidden, according to The Mirror. 

Connelly, whose conspicuous weight is at more than 20 stone, has faced the fury of residents and neighbours for her hand in torturing 17-month-old son Peter to death in 2007, in a horrific case that shocked the nation.

The recluse, who covered up the abuse of her son, was jailed indefinitely in 2009 for a minimum of five years after admitting causing or allowing his death. 

She has also reportedly been met with animosity from her two grown-up daughters, when in a vain attempt she requested to 'build bridges' with them last year.

However, the pair who were put into foster care when she was imprisoned for the murder of their toddler brother, refused her wishes to 'spend Christmas as a family', meaning she would potentially face the winter festivities alone. 

According to the Daily Star, the 41-year-old sent repeated letters and tried to call her daughters who refused all of her offers,

One source said: 'Tracey was looked after in prison. She was seen as a notorious criminal and looked after, because there were so many people that wanted to do her harm for what she did to that poor baby.

'But now she is out fending for herself, and no one wants to know'.

Connelly's release from prison stunned the nation, with then-Justice Secretary Dominic Raab vowing to block the move within hours of the announcement, describing the notorious case as 'harrowing'.

Upon her release, Connelly was subject to 20 licence conditions, including having to wear an electronic tag and disclose all her relationships, as well as having her Internet use monitored and is forced to obey a curfew. She is also banned from going to certain places to 'avoid contact with victims and to protect children'. 

In March last year, the Parole Board announced she had been cleared for release due to a low risk of reoffending and that probation officers and prison officials supported the plan. 

She was released in 2013 but was recalled to prison in 2015 for selling naked photos of herself, cashing in on her notoriety with male fans, and breaching her licence conditions by 'developing intimate personal relationships' online.

A source told The Sun on Sunday: 'Authorities believe she was uploading images of herself and trying to flog them – possibly to sick perverts getting a kick out of her notoriety,'

They added: 'It doesn't get any more depraved than this.'

A few months after her release in April 2023, Connolly had reportedly grown close to another killer mum, Helen Caudwell, 54, who throttled her three-year-old daughter Bethany with a pyjama case in October 2009, according to The Mirror.

The pair were reported to have been living with each other at the unnamed hostel in the north of England in April this year. 

A source described the pair as 'mates' and said 'they're always talking to each other'.

They added: 'Tracey very rarely leaves the building. A couple of girls have been warned not to bully her. They're told not to judge each other's crimes.

'They hate what she did but they just have to live with it. If they say anything, they're threatened with being recalled to prison.

'There are normal girls in there along with child killers. They just have to accept it. If Tracey does go out, she wears a mask or puts her hood up. She's on a tag. But she just spends most of her time lounging around.'

Other residents in the halfway house have reportedly been told to 'be nice' to Connolly.

Known publicly as Baby P, Peter had suffered more than 50 injuries despite being on the at-risk register and receiving 60 visits from social workers, police officers and health professionals over eight months.

Connelly's lover Steven Barker was jailed in 2009 for a minimum of 32 years for torturing the 17-month-old to death while his brother, Jason Owen, received a six year jail sentence for allowing the toddler to die.

A series of reviews identified missed opportunities for officials to save the toddler's life had they reacted properly to warning signs.

Three of the children, including Peter, were on Haringey's Child Protection Register because of fears they were being neglected.

Connelly, who covered up the abuse of her son, was jailed in 2009 for a minimum of five years after admitting causing or allowing the death of her son Peter.