Paula Hudgell had been dreading a certain phone call for weeks. She had been expecting a probation officer to tell her that the woman jailed for crippling her little boy Tony was back on the streets.
Instead, her fears turned to joy as a Cabinet Minister rang to assure her that the monster would stay locked up instead.
Evil Jody Simpson had been due out on Friday after being jailed for 10 years for abusing her own six-week-old son.
The torture – carried out with Tony’s father Anthony Smith – meant the tot had to have both legs amputated.
Paula, the lad’s adoptive mum, was warned the pair would be automatically released halfway through their sentences with time spent on remand taken into account.
But last Thursday Justice Secretary Dominic Raab phoned to say he was blocking Simpson’s release after a recent law change. Smith, due out on August 29, will also be staying inside.
Delighted Paula said: “I had a call in the morning from my victim liaison officer to say Mr Raab had requested my phone number.
“I was on tenterhooks. I could only hope it was good news but never expected what he did tell me. It was completely out of the blue but so incredible to hear.
“I wasn’t aware of new powers that meant automatic release could be halted, so to hear him say he was using them was wonderful.
“Mr Raab sounded very confident about the case he had built against her, saying he had not come across a worse one than Tony’s, and the same challenge would be made against Smith.”
Two days earlier Paula and Tony had met Prime Minister Boris Johnson at Downing Street to receive an award for their years of fundraising and campaigning.
Tony, now seven, is a national hero after raising £1.7million in walks for Evelina London Children’s Hospital, which saved his life, and has won a Daily Mirror Pride of Britain award.
And his adoptive mum has successfully campaigned for an increase in jail sentences for child cruelty – known as Tony’s Law.
Paula, of West Malling, Kent, said: “This week has been such a rollercoaster of emotions. We were at Downing Street meeting Boris Johnson and having probably one of the best days of our lives. But always at the back of my mind was knowing Simpson was being released the same week.
“Then, just two days later I’m having an unexpected phone chat with Dominic Raab.
“I don’t know if Boris had anything to do with Simpson’s release being blocked so soon after the reception or whether it’s just a coincidence.”
Paula said Tony was really happy to hear about Mr Raab’s call and his eyes lit up when she told him.
The minister’s intervention means the Parole Board will now decide the fate of Simpson and Smith, she explained.
Paula went on: “Mr Raab added he couldn’t promise it would be a long term block but felt he had a strong case and his action had definitely put a stop to what was to be her planned release.”
Paula has now been advised to deliver a victim impact statement to the Parole Board.
“We will put together a statement outlining in great detail how Tony is still affected and the impact on not just his daily activities but family life as well,” she added.
“People see this cheeky, brave, determined little boy but do not see the pain he still suffers, or the hundreds of hours of hospital appointments, physiotherapy and treatments he has.
“Those two monsters not only left my son at death’s door with life-changing injuries but they delayed seeking medical help for 10 days. So any delay of their release is justice in my eyes.”
Tony’s injuries in 2014 led to multiple organ failure and sepsis. He is also permanently deaf in one ear due to the trauma he sustained, and has long-term hip, thumb and wrist damage.
Amazingly, police initially decided there was insufficient evidence to prosecute his vicious parents. But after fostering and adopting Tony, mum-of-eight Paula, 54, and her husband Mark, 57, successfully pushed for a prosecution, with help from their local MP Tom Tugendhat.
Tony’s birth parents Simpson and Smith, from Whitstable, were 24 and 47 respectively when they were finally convicted in February 2018 of causing or allowing serious physical harm to their son and child cruelty at Maidstone Crown Court in Kent.
Their 10-year jail terms were the maximum allowed at the time.
Since then, the Government has passed Tony’s Law – boosting sentences to 14 years. Those who cause or allow the death of a child can now get life rather than just 14 years as before.
Paula – who is also battling cancer – is continuing her campaign on behalf of Tony, with demands for a child cruelty register.
This would help police to keep track of abusers on their release, similar to the one that monitors sex offenders.
She was assured by Mr Raab in the same phone call that he plans to meet her shortly to discuss it.
Tony lights up Downing Street
Tony lit up Downing Street with his cheek and charm, chatting to the Prime Minister, posing for photographs with armed police and even playing a game of “knock down ginger” on the famous black door.
The Mirror Pride of Britain winner was invited to Number 10 to mark the achievements of those handed the outgoing PM’s Points of Light awards.
Tony, seven, who was joined by adoptive parents Paula and Mark, was hailed for raising £1.7million for the hospital that saved his life.
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Paula said it had been an incredible day, adding: “To hear Boris highlight Tony’s story in his speech and praise his fundraising efforts was amazing. The PM also made sure he came over and spoke to us.
“Tony took it all in his stride and did not want to go when it was time to leave, but wanted to play ‘knock down ginger’ instead!”
Tony received his Points of Light award for walking 10km on his first pair of prosthetic legs to raise money during the lockdown in June 2020.
The money has funded rehabilitation therapies and pioneering equipment for Evelina London Children’s Hospital.
