The suffering Tony Hudgell went through at the start of his life is almost imaginable.
Instead, we should celebrate the fact that he has found a loving home, away from those who treated him with such brutality.
That he is in the arms of those who will care for him the way he should be cared for – the way every child should be cared for.
It’s difficult to find the right punishment for people who abuse children, particularly those who inflict such horrific damage as was done to young Tony.
What is clear today is that the justice system is failing him. His birth mother, already in an open jail, has applied for day release.
It takes something broken in a person to even ask for leniency after such heinous acts.
And it begs the question of what kind of justice system would take a request like this seriously?
We have reported on cases like those of Star Hobson, the little girl relentlessly abused by her mother and her partner until she was finally beaten to death. Or Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, who died aged six with 130 wounds.
Tony, of course, lived. But the pain will be with him forever and he must be given all the help he needs to heal. Part of that is those who caused his suffering being given proper sentences.
Adoptive mum Paula’s campaigning has already won a pledge to change the law, to introduce “Tony’s Law”.
That must be extended. Tough sentences for those who would sink so low as to hurt a child.
Along with that, a fresh pledge to reform social services and ensure that nothing like the terrible ordeals of Tony, Arthur, Star, or thousands of other children, is ever seen again.
The Great British shake off
War is likely in Eastern Europe, the cost of living is set to spiral, we are being battered by storms and we are being led by a man who was ambushed by a cake.
This is not a state of affairs that can be allowed to continue. Hopefully, the report on parties at Downing Street will emerge this week and we’ll shortly have a PM more able to deal with crises – and less susceptible to being surprised by confectionery.
At this exceedingly hard time, maybe Mr Kipling would do a better job.
