Man jailed over Baby P death freed

The first of the three people jailed over Baby P's death was released from prison today, sources said.

Jason Owen, 39, was serving a six-year sentence for causing or allowing the death of 17-month-old Peter Connelly four years ago.

His release, just two days after the fourth anniversary of Baby Peter's death, comes at the halfway point of his jail term, taking into account the 289 days he spent in custody on remand before he was sentenced.

Owen, from Bromley, Kent, was a lodger at the home of his brother Steven Barker in Tottenham, north London, where Peter died on August 3, 2007.

In May 2009, an Old Bailey judge gave Owen an indeterminate sentence of imprisonment for public protection with a minimum term of three years for his part in the toddler's death.

This meant he could apply for parole after three years but would only be released once the Parole Board was satisfied he no longer posed a risk to the public.

But Owen challenged his sentence at the Court of Appeal and in October 2009 was ordered to serve a fixed six-year jail term instead.

Wednesday was the fourth anniversary of Peter's horrific death at the hands of his mother Tracey Connelly, her boyfriend Barker and Owen.

He suffered more than 50 injuries despite being on the at-risk register of Haringey Council in north London and receiving 60 visits from social workers, police and health professionals during the final eight months of his life.

A series of reviews have identified missed opportunities when officials could have saved him if they had acted properly on the warning signs.

Sharon Shoesmith, Haringey's director of children's services at the time of Peter's death, is in line for compensation estimated at up to £1 million after Supreme Court judges this week rejected applications to challenge a ruling that she was unfairly sacked following the tragedy.

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: "Serious offenders on licence are subject to a strict set of conditions and controls.

"Examples include a strict curfew and other restrictions on their movements, as well as frequent meetings with their offender manager.

"If they fail to comply with their licence conditions, they will be returned to custody.

"They will also be managed under the statutory Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (Mappa).

"Within Mappa, the police, Probation and Prison Services are required to work together to assess and manage the risks presented by the most dangerous offenders, in order to protect the public.

"Anyone serving a determinate sentence of more than 12 months (under the Criminal Justice Act 2003) must be released from prison on licence at the halfway point."