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May 15, 2009

When Parents Don't

The Economist:

Trying to make sure social workers are up to their thankless job

THE case of Baby P, a toddler tortured and killed by his supposed carers, shocked Britain after the conviction last year of his mother, her lover and a lodger. The grim tale now turns out to have a horrible coda. On May 1st verdicts were returned in the trial of the mother and her boyfriend for the rape of a two-year-old. The mother was acquitted of cruelty--the victim told police she had seen the rape, and failed to intervene. The boyfriend was convicted and may get a life sentence.

The case made legal history. The child, aged three at the time of the trial and cross-examined via video link, was the youngest ever to give evidence in a British court. Also unusual was the decision to use false names for the defendants, and to ban all reporting until after the verdict. The fear was that the defendants would not be tried fairly if the jury made the connection with Baby P--or Peter, as he can now be called after his father asked for him to be dignified with his name.

Posted by Jim Zellmer at May 15, 2009 5:11 AM
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