Baby P thug: Poster is ruining my good name

By VANESSA ALLEN FOR THE DAILY MAIL
Updated:

A sadistic thug who tortured Baby P has threatened to sue a charity for damaging his reputation, it was revealed yesterday.

Steven Barker was labelled a murderer by an animal rights group which used his police mugshot in a billboard campaign.

Now Barker, who was cleared of murder but convicted of 'causing or allowing' the death of 17-month-old Peter Connelly, has astonishingly decided that his 'good name' has been threatened by the posters.

Enlarge   PETA's Stephen Barker poster

Reputation: Steven Barker claimed PETA's original poster was libellous because it described him as a 'murderer'. The animal rights organisation reissued the poster with the words 'baby abuser' instead (above)

The billboards from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals read: 'Steven Barker: Animal Abuser, Rapist and Murderer. People who are violent towards animals rarely stop there.'

Barker had a history of violence towards animals, torturing guinea pigs and frogs as a child. He also raped a two-year-old girl.

Nevertheless his lawyers threatened to sue the charity for libel unless it removed the billboard in Haringey, North London, near the home the 33-year-old once shared with Baby Peter's mother, Tracey Connelly. 

Solicitor Tim Bittlestone, of legal firm Leslie Franks, wrote: 'I have been informed of your latest advertising campaign featuring my client. You should be aware that Mr Barker was acquitted of murder at the Central Criminal Court.

'Your campaign poster is therefore libellous. Please remove it immediately or we will be forced to institute proceedings against you.'

The charity has removed the poster but will replace it with one which describes Barker as a 'baby abuser' instead.

Peter Connelly

Baby P: Peter Connelly died in 2007

It believes there is a link between cruelty to animals and violence towards humans.

Moors murderer Ian Brady killed cats and dogs as a child, serial killer Fred West mutilated and killed rabbits, and Soham killer Ian Huntley strangled a puppy and strapped fireworks to animals.

Spokesman Poorva Joshipura said: 'Whatever the courts call Barker, the fact remains that violence towards animals is evil and if unchallenged it may be a warning that the perpetrator won't stop there.

'Abusers are generally cowards who seek out the most vulnerable victims, including children, animals and elderly people.' Replacing the billboard cost £1,000 but PETA could have faced a much higher bill if Barker had sued successfully.

Baby Peter suffered more than 50 injuries during months of abuse by his mother, Barker and his brother Jason Owen.

The judge at the Old Bailey said neo-Nazi Barker played a 'major role' in the toddler's death in August 2007. Owen was also found guilty of causing or allowing the death of a child, while Baby Peter's mother admitted the same charge.

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