Sick Tracey Connelly, who was jailed at the Old Bailey in 2009 after the death of Baby P, is up for parole soon. But a detective who interviewed her ahead of her son’s death has spoken out saying she should remain in jail

A detective who interviewed the monstrous mum of Baby P says she should not be given a “second chance”.

Sick Tracey Connelly was jailed at the Old Bailey in 2009 for causing or allowing the death of her 17-month-old son Peter at their home in Tottenham, north London, on August 3 2007. Her then-boyfriend, Steven Barker, and his brother, Jason Owen, were convicted of the same crime.

Connelly is set to go before a parole panel next month but Jon Wedger, who interviewed her before Peter died, says she should never be given a second chance at freedom.

Mr Wedger, a former Met Police, told the Sun: “She was a very very controlling woman… straight away I knew how manipulative she was.”

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Just days before Peter’s death, Mr Wedger questioned Connelly at a police station near where she lived in Haringey, North London. A decision had to be made on if Connelly would be held on remand or her bail extended in relation to suspicions she was beating Peter.

Connelly adopted a pretence as a caring mum and gave “ridiculous” excuses for her little boy’s injuries.

But suddenly, Connelly “couldn’t control herself” and this was the moment “the monster in her came out”. Mr Wedger said: “I turned round to her and said ‘that is the monster your child sees’.”

In a previous interview, Mr Wedger said: “I outwitted her, and she lost the plot. She went from being this really sweet, smiley, nice person – in a heartbeat that psychopath came out and she stood up and went ‘you c***’ and gobbed in my face.”

Mr Wedger thinks during the hearing Connelly will“come across as plausible, respectable but she’s a liar”. He added: “I don’t think that woman should ever be given a second chance.”

Last year, Connelly broke her silence on her son’s death and admitted she was a “bad mother”. She said she ignored signs about Barker, saying. “I failed to protect them, I put my needs first, I took all my anger at the world on my older children. I didn’t give them what they needed and they deserve a whole lot better than me.”

In 2013, Connelly was released, but recalled for breaching parole conditions in 2015. She was released again in 2022, but recalled after she failed to follow the conditions of her release at a bail hostel. She had “developed an intimate relationship with a man”, which was hidden from a probation officer, her parole opening heard.

Known publicly as Baby P, Peter suffered more than 50 injuries despite being on the at-risk register and receiving 60 visits from social workers, police officers and health professionals over eight months. The case shocked the nation due to the extent of Peter’s injuries.

Connelly admitted the offence of causing or allowing the death of her son and was handed a sentence of imprisonment for public protection with a minimum term of five years.

Connelly told the Parole Board last year there is “a lot more I probably could have done to protect my children” before the death of Peter which saw her then-partner Barker and his brother living at the family home.

She said: “If I had told the professionals this man was living with me, if I had explained we were more than he was just visiting, there are 101 different things I could have done. I’m ashamed to admit, I was in my own head, in my own bubble. I wanted my prince charming and unfortunately my children paid for that.”

She said one of her children “couldn’t stand him” but her “selfishness didn’t acknowledge it” and added “they were stuck in a worse situation that allowed my son to die.”

Seaham Hall, the five-star coastal hotel and spa resort, has announced a new partnership with Aston Martin Newcastle to deliver a programme of exclusive guest experiences in 2026 and beyond.

As part of the collaboration, hotel guests and Aston Martin customers will be invited to a series of luxury car showcases and test drives.

Some guests will also have the opportunity to enjoy exclusive use of an Aston Martin during their stay.

It’s a five-star partnership. (Image: Seaham Hall)

Ross Grieve, managing director at Seaham Hall, said: “We are delighted to be starting the new year launching our partnership with Aston Martin Newcastle, a brand that shares our values of luxury, innovation and true excellence.

“This union will allow us to continue to create truly exceptional experiences for guests and Aston Martin customers at Seaham Hall, something that we strive to deliver with each and every visit.”

Chris Hall, head of business at Aston Martin Newcastle, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Seaham Hall, an iconic North East venue and the perfect spot to showcase Aston Martin Newcastle.

“As well as our cars being on display throughout the year, we have some very exciting events and guest experiences lined up.”

The hotel is a popular spot for celebrities. (Image: Will Foxx)

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Seaham Hall was recently ranked in the top 50 boutique hotels in the UK and named one of the best hotels in the world by La Liste for 2025.

Its five-bubble-rated Serenity Spa has also collected awards including Best Boutique Spa at the Boutique Hotelier Awards, and AA’s Best UK Spa Award in 2023 and 2024.

The hotel was also named Small Hotel of the Year 2025 in the North East England Tourism Awards, and featured in The Sunday Times Top 100 Best Places to Stay in 2024.

BBC period drama Call the Midwife is set to continue with a new movie set in 1972

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Rebecca Gethings has teased the release of the forthcoming Call the Midwife movie and it’s good news.

The 50-year-old actress has played Sister Veronica on the BBC drama since 2023, taking over from Sister Hilda (Fenella Woolgar), but was left questioning her faith during series 15, which aired earlier this year.

Set in 1971, a new era saw Sister Veronica make a heartbreaking confession to Geoffrey Franklin (Chris Harper), confirming her wish to experience motherhood herself, despite having dedicated her life to the Church.

The nun then decided to leave Nonnatus House for up to six weeks to decide whether she wanted to leave the religious order, have a family, or continue her duties.

During this tough time, Sister Veronica was known as Beryl before she eventually re-joined Nonnatus House to the delight of Sister Julienne (Jenny Agutter).

The story of Call the Midwife is now set to continue with a new movie set in 1972 at an overseas location, and Sister Veronica could make an appearance.

At the end of series 15, Sister Julienne informed the midwives that the services provided by Nonnatus House will be “altered”.

She announced, “Sister Veronica and Sister Catherine and I have decided that Nonnatus House will become a house of prayer and charity while we discern our next steps.”

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Sister Julienne then appeared to tease three possible locations for the movie as she shared plans to join a new one-year medical mission.

She added: “One of them would be in the Gilbert and Ellice Islands, one of them would be in British Columbia, and one would be in a remote part of Australia.”

Although the cast for the Call the Midwife movie hasn’t yet been confirmed, given Sister Julienne’s words, it could potentially involve the three remaining nuns: Sister Veronica, Sister Catherine (Molly Vevers), and Sister Julienne, plus other cast members, including Doctor Turner (Stephen McGann).

The Call the Midwife team hasn’t yet confirmed the finer details of the movie, including its release date or when filming will commence, but it could be sooner than fans think.

Rebecca Gethings recently hinted on Instagram that the forthcoming film could be released soon.

Sharing a short video clip featuring a scene between Beryl and Chris Harper as Geofrey, the actress wrote: “Available now on BBC iPlayer xx.”

One fan wasted no time in asking about the film and inquired: “Cheers! (and Call the Midwife movie coming out?? Is that true?” as Rebecca replied: “Yes, there will be one in the not too distant future, I believe.”

Along with the movie, Call the Midwife is also set to release a prequel set during World War II and series 16.

Call the Midwife is available to stream on BBC iPlayer

Emily is hoping her story of overcoming adversity can help others go after their own ambitions

A woman living in Belfast is taking on the challenge of being the first woman to complete every UK Ironman race in one season – and she’s doing it after having major leg surgery.

Emily Bond is originally from South Devon in England, but moved to Northern Ireland just over six years ago to attend Queen’s University. In 2018, she had surgery on both her legs for compartment syndrome, a condition where high pressure within muscle compartments restricts blood flow.

Following this, she had to recover both mentally as well as physically, and it was around two and a half years before she could run again. Emily began her journey into triathlon training last year, and was inspired to take on the huge challenge by a friend.

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Now, she has set herself the major challenge of taking on all five Ironman events taking place across the UK this year, and will be the first woman to take on the feat.

Three of the events are Half Ironman triathlons, which include taking on a 1.9km swim, a 90km bike ride, and a half marathon. The remaining two are full Ironmans, which is double the distance at a 3.8km swim, a 180km bike ride, with a full marathon at the end.

Speaking to Belfast Live about her journey up to now, and how she feels to be taking on the huge challenge, Emily said: “In 2018, I had surgery on both of my legs for compartment syndrome, and couldn’t run for around 2.5 years or so. It was a combination of physical recovery, but then the mental recovery of it too.

“I signed up for my first 5K last year, in April, and just went from there, I built up over the summer. I only got into triathlon last year.

“During the summer I was out for a cycle with an acquaintance and we were talking about Ironman competitions, as he was doing one. I said it’d be cool to do that one day, and it was on my bucket list.

“He was saying about how it takes years to train for them and I thought I had a pretty solid fitness base, so I signed up for a half Ironman, which I did in Weymouth last September. When I was doing that, I thought what if I did all the UK ones – because that’s a natural thought to have!

“At Weymouth I was put in touch with Ironman UK and they confirmed I’ll be the first female to do all of the events in one year, which is insane. I thought no pressure then, representing the women out there!”

As part of her challenge, Emily has set herself a goal to raise money for charities that have helped her out along the way: Extern, Cycle Against Suicide, Childline, and St John’s Ambulance.

She added: “I wanted to give back as they have done so much for me. I wouldn’t be here without some of them, so I want to give back, especially as it’s such a big challenge, I want to highlight the impact they make as well.”

Originally, Emily had planned to run the Belfast City Marathon as her first full marathon in preparation for the Ironman events later this year. However, she has made the decision to take part in a different way, as a lead cyclist for the event, and save her running for later events.

Looking ahead to the beginning of the Ironman events, with the first taking place in Bolton in nine weeks, Emily said she’s gearing up for the challenge and mostly looking forward to it.

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“I’m a bit nervous and mostly excited, it’s a half Ironman which I’m looking forward to. I think the full Ironmans are more intimidating at the moment, but my first full isn’t until mid-August which is in Leeds, so there’s still time to figure things out between now and then,” she said.

She hopes her story and the challenge she’s taking on will help inspire others to take on challenges, big or small, and achieve a goal.

Emily added: “Some days it’s intimidating being the first woman to take on this Ironman challenge. I don’t know if this is how other women felt, you know, like the first woman to have run a marathon event.

“But it’s also empowering as this is a first I’ll get to have for the rest of my life, and I hope it can inspire many other people, not just women, but anyone in general to have ambitions and pursue them.

“A lot of what I do as well is about that general adversity, and you don’t have to let it stop you doing things. It’s something about just pivoting that into action to go and do stuff.

“I’m hoping what I do will inspire someone to take that next step. It may not be going and doing every Ironman in the UK, it could be signing up for their first race, or trying something new they’ve always wanted to try. I think the small things are the big things as well.

“There’s always so much to learn from any experience you do, but if you don’t put your hat in the ring, then you never know.”

If you would like to donate to Emily’s Operation Ironwoman challenge, you can find out more by clicking here.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

During the 1900s, this village was the perfect place for pub goers

For pub goers, a local village pub is one of the best kinds to go to. The chances are that everyone will know everyone; they offer a family-friendly atmosphere, and they always tend to be of a rustic nature.

For one Cambridgeshire village, there was once a time when there were so many pubs on offer, it made the choice of going to just one a hard choice. This is Fulbourn, which by 1910 had 11 pubs in the village.

This was around 120 people for one pub. During the 14th century, Fulbourn had many ‘alewives’, who were known for keeping open during the late hours. In 1700, the village was reported to have three pubs.

One of them, known as The Six Bells, is still open today. Although it had nearly a dozen pubs in the early 1900s, there are only three that remain today.

Today, the village is home to The Six Bells, The White Hart and the Bakers. As well as its popular pub culture, the village is filled with charm and character.

The village streets are lined with thatched cottages and lovely gardens. There is also lots of nature to explore, such as at the Fulbourn Fen Nature Reserve.

If people visit the nature reserve, they will also see a medieval moated site. This is at Hall Orchard.

Excavations have been undertaken of the moated area, which is believed to have been occupied from at least the 13th century until the late 17th century. Another nice place to walk in Fulbourn is Fleam Dyke.

This is a linear earthwork between Fulbourn and Baldham. Stretching over three miles, this was constructed between the 4th and 5th centuries by the Anglo-Saxons.

There is an array of wildflowers along the route, as well as wildlife such as butterflies and other insects along the way. For history buffs, pub goers or nature lovers, Fulbourn is worth a visit.

A boxing promoter has discussed a possible fight between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua

Boxing promoter Kalle Sauerland has claimed that the date and venue for a future showdown between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have already been confirmed. The two British heavyweights are long-standing rivals yet have never faced one another inside the ring.

As both fighters edge closer to the twilight of their illustrious careers, speculation has intensified regarding a potential bout later this year. The match-up has been mooted on numerous occasions previously but has ultimately failed to come to fruition.

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Tyson Fury has come out of retirement to face Russian boxer Arslanbek Makhmudov in a heavyweight clash in London on April 11. The fight will stream live on Netflix, which fans can get for free with Sky’s £15 Essential TV bundle or £24 Ultimate TV bundle, the latter of which also includes HBO Max and Disney+.

Fury returns to the ring to face Arslanbek Makhmudov on Saturday at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Joshua was last in action against Jake Paul in December. However, later that month, he sustained minor injuries in a car crash that tragically claimed the lives of two of his friends, throwing his immediate plans into disarray.

As Fury prepares to take on Makhmudov, Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn has spoken about the possibility of his fighter facing Deontay Wilder this summer. The Matchroom chief recently brushed aside suggestions that an agreement was already in place to meet Fury, but fellow promoter Sauerland has indicated it is a foregone conclusion.

“I think Fury-AJ is done for the Autumn in Dublin,” Sauerland told iFL TV. When asked for further clarification, he added: “That’s what I’ve heard, done for Dublin in I think September/October. Have I put my foot in it? That’s what I’ve heard, word on the street.”

It is worth noting that Sauerland has no affiliation with either fighter and the promoter’s remarks stand in stark contrast to Hearn’s position last month. In an interview with The Stomping Ground, he said: “There is absolutely nothing signed with Anthony Joshua to fight Tyson Fury next. There is nothing agreed.”

Hearn explained that, before Joshua suffered injuries in a car accident, the original plan had been for AJ to compete in the spring ahead of a clash with Fury. Joshua is now expected to return in the summer as he continues his recovery.

“This is what I want. We need a warm-up fight before we fight Tyson Fury,” Hearn said. “Because AJ is coming off the accident. He’s rehabilitating his body. We will take Deontay Wilder as that warm-up fight. And then we will fight Tyson Fury in December.”

He continued: “By the way, I respect Wilder, and I think he looked much better in that fight than he has done previously. But let me tell you… Anthony Joshua will walk through Deontay Wilder within three rounds. We’re going to fight before Tyson Fury.”

However, Fury has called on Joshua to abandon any plans for a comeback bout before squaring off against him. The 37-year-old is eager to reach a deal with AJ, fearing that any further delays risk derailing their long-awaited clash once again.

“That fight was supposed to happen so many times over the last 10 years,” Fury said. “But then someone has had one more fight in between, or someone has been knocked out or injured.

“Forget Wilder, the man is a shell of himself, and forget anyone else. Let me get through Saturday, and then we will do the fight before the end of the year.”

James Phelan performed real magic on stage during the auditions in Blackpool

Britain’s Got Talent viewers have praised a magician’s performance on Saturday night after discovering he has a famous uncle.

It comes as Simon Cowell and his fellow judges – Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and KSI – returned to Blackpool for another round of auditions alongside iconic hosts Ant and Dec.

Last year, it was young magician Harry Moulding who won over the public vote and secured the big win as well as a place at the Royal Variety Show.

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Now, thousands have auditioned for the hit ITV series with the hopes of performing in front of the Royal Family themselves and securing the £250,000 prize.

James Phelan, a magician, took to the Britain’s Got Talent stage on Saturday, 11 April, and soared through to the semi finals with four yes’s.

During his act he made Amanda’s ring disappear, swallowed a bunch of needles and correctly guessed Alesha’s favourite colour with an audience involvement gag.

Before his performance, James told the judges that he is the nephew of magician and TV presenter Paul Daniels, who died in 2016. After his audition, viewers took to social media to share their thoughts.

Over on X, formerly Twitter, @RyanSoapKing25 said: “#BGT James Phelen:- I usually hate Magic acts but I actually really enjoyed this one – Magic with the added danger element. James was so charismatic as well which makes or breaks a magic act. I enjoyed that!”

@justinandkimsma wrote: “Paul Daniels’s nephew is good.”, and @Matt528chap added: “A danger act and a magician combined.”

Britain’s Got Talent viewer @SHANEOfficial_ said: “James! Magic is clearly in your DNA! And brilliant presentation. Very, very well done”, and @suzyglitter1 said: “I’m sure Paul Daniels would be proud”

@ihnewman said: “now thats magic”, and @blue_laur11 said: “James the Magician was fantastic ! I’m sure his uncle Paul is looking down with the biggest smile on his face”

Also on Saturday, breast clinic nurse Joan Thomas, 56, soared through to the quarter finals with four solid yes’s after performing a beautiful rendition of Pie Jesu.

And youth worker Ren DMC auditioned with his personal diss track about the judges which included throwing shade at Alesha for being a ‘Temu version of Spice Girls’, and roasted KSI for his boxing, acting and music.