Baby P 'stepfather' found guilty of raping two-year-old

The boyfriend of Baby P’s mother has been found guilty of raping a two year-old girl.

The 32-year-old man was found guilty of the rape of the young girl after a 10-day trial at the Old Bailey. In the same trial, Baby Peter’s mother was cleared of failing to prevent the attack.

The boyfriend was one of two men convicted last November of causing or allowing the death of Baby P, who can now be named as Peter. The other was Jason Owen. The mother pleaded guilty to the same charge.

The girl was on the at risk register at Haringey Local Authority, raising new questions about the competence of social workers in the borough for failing to protect another child in their care from harm.
Her ordeal only ended when the boyfriend was arrested following the death of Peter in August 2007.

In a highly unusual move, all reporting of the rape trial was banned until the jury reached its verdict and the couple, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, also had their surnames changed in court during the proceedings. The defence argued they would not get a fair trial if the jury had any suspicion they had been involved in the notorious Baby P case. There are campaigns on the internet to have the pair named.

The man showed no emotion as he heard the verdict. Peter’s mother put her hand on her heart and started to cry when she heard she had been cleared of her charge.

But the judge warned the pair to expect “a substantial sentence” when they return to court later this month for sentencing along with Owen.

During the hearing, the pair sat in the dock, never making eye contact, as the girl, now aged four, described the horrific attack via live video link. She is the youngest victim to be cross examined at the Old Bailey. Neither defendant gave any evidence in their defence.

The allegations came to light in October 2007, after the girl volunteered the information to a carer that she had been assaulted. The police were called but when the youngster was asked by a female detective constable if the man had touched her she shook her head, so the investigation did not proceed.

But several months later the girl again volunteered the information to doctors at Great Ormond Street.

She was interviewed again formally by police and videoed. The pair were arrested last May and charged in August.

Almost the entire case rested on this video evidence, and the cross examination by live videolink with the child, who was brought to a side room in the court building.

The cross-examination was rigorous but inconclusive, with the child becoming muddled and upset.

Source:The times