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Target your anger

May 24 2009 by Ken Oxley, Sunday Sun

THE findings of a serious case review into the death of Baby Peter have a depressingly familiar ring.

It concludes that it “could and should” have been avoided were it not for the “completely inadequate” response of social workers, police and doctors.

Like many, I’m at a loss as to how staff in Haringey were so easily taken in by the lies told by Baby Peter’s mother.

But while anger directed at professionals is justified, let’s not lose sight of who killed the toddler.

The three directly responsible are his mother, her sadistic boyfriend and lodger Jason Owen.

The boyfriend was given a life sentence for the rape of a two-year-old girl and 12 years for his part in Baby Peter’s death.

The mother and Owen, however, got “indeterminate” sentences.

Incredibly, that means she could walk free in just three years.

Yet this woman lied repeatedly to protect a thug who inflicted more than 50 injuries on her child.

So by all means be angry about the failings of social workers, but be angrier still about the failings of someone Baby Peter ought to have received unconditional love from.

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