'HE'S AMAZING'
I sobbed when I first met Tony Hudgell after he was abused by his parents – but in hours I knew I would never leave him
THE mum of a little boy abused so badly by his birth parents that he lost his legs said she "sobbed" when she saw the maimed tot for the first time.
Paula Hudgell, 54, and husband Mark, 57, of Kings Hill, Kent, first met Tony when he was four months old.
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The baby had suffered appalling abuse from his birth parents, and was left with broken fingers and toes, as well as torn ligaments, in an attack just 41 days after his birth.
Rather than getting help, vile Tony Smith and Jody Simpson left him to suffer for 10 days.
Tony contracted sepsis and was near death when they took him to a hospital.
Medics were eventually forced to amputate the little one's legs because of the damage caused.
Astonishingly, Smith and Simpson could only be jailed for a decade - the maximum term for the suffering they'd caused their son.
But politicians have now agreed to ramp up the limit for those who seriously harm children - thanks to a campaign fronted by Tony and his parents Paula and Mark.
In an emotional interview this morning, Paula told of the moment she first saw her son, now seven.
SECONDS FROM DEATH
"Presented in front of me was this tiny, broken, shut-down, underweight, legs in plaster, four-month-old baby," she told BBC Breakfast.
"I broke down in tears. I absolutely sobbed.
"I thought, 'I can't do this'.
"But within two hours of being with him, I knew there was no way I was going to leave him."
The amazing couple have been by Tony's side ever since.
Yesterday, the Government revealed there'll be tougher sentences for those who harm children.
Tony’s Law will increase the maximum penalty for causing or allowing serious physical harm to a child from ten to 14 years, while causing the death of a child will rise from 14 years to life.
I broke down in tears. Within two hours, I knew I would never leave him
Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab met with the Hudgells to tell them the news.
Showing the schoolboy around his office - and making sure there were plenty of sweets available - the politician said: "We just think what Tony has done is inspiring, and the need to protect little ones like him is overwhelming."
Tony, who was filmed helping Mr Raab with a speech and demanding to know how far along he was with it, shyly told reporters the news is "amazing".
Paula said she'd been "very emotional" and is "so proud" of her son.
"He shouldn't have made it, he shouldn't be here today, but he is," she said.
"What a testament that a seven-year-old can change the law. It's absolutely incredible."
The family now want to introduce a child cruelty register with the support of MP Tom Tugendhat, who has spent months campaigning for Tony's Law.
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Paula said the MP's support has been "absolutely fantastic" and called him their "rock".
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This morning, Mr Tugendhat said: "Paula's right - Tony is inspirational, but the truth is, so is the whole family.
"The Hudgells are an amazing, loving family who demonstrate that what a real family can do is not only protect themselves and look after each other, but actually make life better for all of us."
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Time for change
By Justice Secretary Dominic Raab
TONY Hudgell was little more than a month old when he was admitted to hospital close to death.
His biological parents abused him so severely he lost both legs and hearing in his right ear. He is now seven and will be disabled for the rest of his life.
As the father of a six-year-old myself, I find this cruelty impossible to imagine. Tony’s biological parents got the maximum penalty of ten years for what they did.
But the couple who adopted Tony do not believe it is enough. And nor do I. Every year, hundreds of children suffer appalling abuse at the hands of their families and guardians. I’ve listened carefully to Tony’s devoted new parents, who have campaigned tirelessly.
I will introduce a new law to raise the sentence for those convicted of child cruelty and causing or allowing serious physical harm to a child from ten to 14 years.
For causing or allowing a child’s death we will raise the maximum sentence from 14 years to life. It’s what justice demands.
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