THE mother of tortured Baby P has spent more than £500,000 of taxpayer’s money fighting failed legal battles.
Tracey Connelly was jailed in 2009 for allowing paedophile partner Steven Barker and his brother Jason Owen to torture 17-month-old son Peter to death.
But since then she has wasted a fortune in Legal Aid on wrangles — including a pointless fight to see two teenage daughters who want nothing to do with her.
Connelly, 38, made a last-minute guilty plea to causing or allowing the death of a child in 2008 after initially denying the charge and running up huge legal fees.
She went on to hire more lawyers at the public’s expense to appeal against the length of her sentence — which she also later dropped.
The Sun’s Freedom of Information request shows she has been granted £372,946 in solicitors fees and £144,736 for barristers.
FIGHTING FAILED BATTLES
Details were disclosed three weeks after it was revealed Connelly received a further £14,194 to fund her fight to gain access to her daughters.
She now hopes to be freed from jail after a parole board hearing was set for later this year — a move that will again be funded by Legal Aid.
Baby Peter died in 2007 after suffering more than 50 injuries at his home in Haringey, North London
Victims’ rights campaigner Harry Fletcher said: “It’s another example of a criminal getting vast sums in legal aid whereas victims have to fund themselves.
Campaign of abuse: What happened to Baby P?
LITTLE Peter Connelly was born to mum Tracey Connelly in March 2006 and died at her Tottenham home after suffering a catalogue of injuries on August 3, 2007.
Two months after Peter's birth Connelly started a relationship with Steven Barker at whose hands the tot would suffer appalling abuse.
Peter was admitted to hospital with injuries on several occasions and his mum was twice arrested.
But a day after Tracey was told she would not face prosecution, the 17-month-old was found dead in a blood-stained cot.
Peter had suffered more than 50 injuries over eight months and had been seen by a string of social workers, the Metropolitan Police and health professionals.
They all missed warning signs that could have saved the toddler's life – with it later being revealed that the tot's devious carers had smeared him with chocolate before visits to hide bruises and cuts.
The abuse included repeatedly choking the 17-month-old until he turned blue and encouraging a Rottweiler to attack him.
A post-mortem examination later revealed that he had probably already suffered a broken back and fractured ribs
A court ruled that Baby P died at the hands of his mother, her boyfriend Steven Barker, and his brother Jason Owen – who had moved into their home with a 15 year old girl.
“This is unacceptable and has to change. There needs to be a review of legal aid provision where the claims clearly have very limited merit."
Connelly – currently behind bars at HMP Low Newton in County Durham – has told fellow inmates she is now in love with an old friend called Paul.
She is said to be "swooning about" the jail and telling "everyone she can" about the new man in her life.
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