Depraved child molesters face life in prison under a new law named after a boy who lost his legs after being tortured by sick parents

CHILD MOTHERS face life imprisonment under new harsh penalties that go into effect this week.

Tony’s Law will increase the maximum penalty for causing or allowing serious harm to a 14-year-old youth.

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It is named after Tony Hudgell, now seven, who lost both his legs after being tortured by his mother and father, who only lived to be ten.

Justice Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab has pushed through the new rules.

The policing, crime, sentencing and courts bill change follows a campaign by Tony’s adoptive parents, Paula and Mark Hudgell.

Mr Raab said: “I pay tribute to Tony and his adoptive parents Paula and Mark. This is a win for them.”

It is part of measures designed to give longer prison sentences to the most serious violent and sex offenders.

Last month, the government presented social welfare reforms to improve child protection.

These include hiring more foster parents, increasing support for social workers and improving the professional standards of those employed in the sector.

Ms Hudgell, from West Malling, Kent, led a tireless campaign to ensure “monsters stay behind bars longer”.

She dedicated the win to “Tony and all the babies and children who have suffered or lost their lives at the hands of their abusers.”

The change in law will end soft sentences for child molesters like Jason Owen, the killer of Baby P, who was sentenced to six years in prison in 2009.

Ms Hudgell added: “I cannot thank the public enough, our friends and family, our MP Tom Tugendhat and Dominic Raab for their support in making this a reality.”

Tony’s parents Jody Simpson, 29, and Anthony Smith, 52, were sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2018 for causing or allowing serious physical harm.