Anthony Smith, who tortured his baby son Tony Hudgell so severely the child required double leg amputation, will be released from prison this week after serving just seven years of a ten-year sentence, prompting outrage from the inspirational youngster’s adoptive mother who branded the justice system “clearly broken”.
The 54-year-old, granted parole on 19 June, will walk free from tomorrow under strict licence conditions including GPS monitoring and residence restrictions, just two months after Tony’s birth mother Jody Simpson, 34, was freed from prison. The pair were convicted in 2018 of causing or allowing serious physical harm to their infant son and cruelty to a person under 16, receiving the maximum sentence available at the time.
Paula Hudgell, 57, who adopted Tony with husband Mark after the horrific abuse, expressed her fury at the decision. I have seen no evidence that Smith has any remorse for what he’s done, or even any understanding of the effect he’s had on Tony’s life,” she told reporters ahead of the release.
Horrific Abuse That Shocked Britain
Tony Hudgell, now 10, was just 41 days old when his birth parents inflicted injuries so severe that doctors at Evelina London Children’s Hospital initially feared he would not survive. The infant suffered eight fractures to his limbs, torn ligaments, dislocations, blunt trauma to his face and a permanently dislocated hip that left him deaf in one ear.
The abuse caused organ failure, toxic shock and sepsis. Most shockingly, Simpson and Smith left their baby untreated and in excruciating pain for 10 days before finally seeking medical attention. The delay proved catastrophic; both of Tony’s legs had to be amputated at the knees when he was three years old.
Medical staff at Evelina London performed 23 operations and eight blood transfusions to save the infant’s life. The abuse took place in what was described by Kent and Sussex Courier as a “filthy” flat in Maidstone, where the couple subjected their son to what Judge Philip Statman called “a grossly horrifying catalogue of cruel and violent behaviour”.
During the 2018 trial at Maidstone Crown Court, prosecutors revealed the extent of Tony’s injuries would have caused “excruciating pain” to the infant. The judge, handing down the maximum 10-year sentences available at the time, indicated through his demeanour that he would have imposed longer terms had the law allowed.
Prison Attack and Previous Parole Denials
Smith’s time in custody has not been without incident. In August 2018, just months into his sentence, he was held hostage and beaten for two hours in his cell at HMP Swaleside on the Isle of Sheppey. Fellow inmates Michael Stewart and Nathan Odgers barricaded themselves in after tying Smith to his bed, with prisoners heard shouting “he should have his legs chopped off” in reference to Tony’s amputations.
Smith required 12 teeth to be replaced following the attack. The assailants later claimed Smith had volunteered to be taken hostage to force a prison transfer, which he denied. Stewart received an extended sentence of eight years and five months, whilst Odgers was given nine years and six months.
The Parole Board previously refused Smith’s release in June 2023, concluding there was a risk he would enter a new relationship and gain access to other children. At that hearing, the board noted Smith had shown no remorse and had even chosen to leave the room rather than listen to a victim impact statement about the effect his cruelty had on Tony.
Government Intervention and Tony’s Law
Smith’s automatic release had previously been blocked in August 2022 by then Justice Secretary Dominic Raab, who used new powers to protect the public from dangerous offenders. At the time, Mr Raab stated: “The first duty of government is to protect the most vulnerable, and no-one is more vulnerable than a child.
The case led to a landmark change in legislation known as “Tony’s Law”, enacted through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 following campaigning by the Hudgell family and their MP Tom Tugendhat. The law increased maximum sentences for causing or allowing the death of a child from 14 years to life imprisonment, whilst causing serious physical harm to a child now carries up to 14 years rather than the previous 10.
Paula Hudgell, appointed OBE in 2023 for services to children, has been instrumental in the campaign. It shows the importance of why Tony’s Law needed to come into force as sentences absolutely were too lenient,” she said, whilst continuing to advocate for a child cruelty register similar to the sex offenders register.
Mother’s Earlier Release and Recall
Jody Simpson’s release has been equally controversial. Originally freed in 2023, she was recalled to prison in May 2024 after breaching her licence conditions. A subsequent parole hearing in June 2025 directed her release again, with the probation service stating they could monitor and control her in the community with stringent conditions.
Paula Hudgell described Simpson as remaining “a high risk to children” and said she had “already proved” she could not be managed in the community. The Ministry of Justice confirmed Simpson faces immediate return to prison if she breaks any rules of her strict supervision and licence conditions.
Tony’s Inspirational Journey
Despite his life-changing injuries, Tony Hudgell has become one of Britain’s youngest philanthropists and campaigners. Inspired by Captain Tom Moore’s NHS fundraising during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, five-year-old Tony set out to raise £500 for Evelina London Children’s Hospital by walking 10 kilometres on his new prosthetic legs throughout June.
His challenge captured the nation’s heart, ultimately raising £1.8 million. The funds have helped establish new facilities at Evelina London, including a Children’s Day Surgery Unit featuring a special ceiling tile depicting Tony as an astronaut. Plans are underway for a “Tony Hudgell therapy area” to open in 2026, cementing his legacy at the hospital that saved his life.
Tony received the British Empire Medal in the 2024 New Year Honours, becoming the youngest ever recipient of the award for services to the prevention of child abuse. He has also received a Pride of Britain Award, a Points of Light award from Boris Johnson, and was thanked personally by Queen Camilla when receiving his BEM in June 2024.
The youngster, who supports Chelsea FC and serves as first-team mascot for Kings Hill FC, has established the Tony Hudgell Foundation to enhance the lives of children affected by physical, emotional and psychological abuse. He attended a royal garden party in May 2024 after receiving a fresh invitation from Buckingham Palace when traffic prevented his initial attendance.
Adoptive Mother’s Anguish
Paula Hudgell’s statement ahead of Smith’s release reflects the ongoing trauma the family endures. Tony will be living with his injuries for the rest of his life, they will never go away, because of what Smith and his former partner did to their baby,” she said.
“Smith is a danger to children and, if he doesn’t get recalled in the next two years for breaching his licence, he will be free to do as he pleases. It feels so unfair that Tony will go on living with his limitations, and soon the person who gave him those limitations will have none.”
She added: “This system is clearly broken. We need something to stop child abusers from acting in this way again. Tony is suffering every day; he has a life sentence.”
Conditions of Release
The Parole Board confirmed in July 2025 that Smith would be released, stating they were “satisfied that imprisonment was no longer necessary for the protection of the public”. However, stringent conditions have been imposed on both parents’ releases.
Smith will be required to wear a GPS monitor at all times and must remain at an agreed address. He faces immediate recall to prison if he breaches any licence conditions. Similar restrictions apply to Simpson, who was released earlier this year.
The decision has reignited debate about sentencing for child abuse cases, with campaigners arguing that even the enhanced sentences under Tony’s Law remain insufficient for the most serious cases. The Hudgells continue to campaign for a child abusers register that would prevent convicted abusers from having unsupervised contact with children.
Looking Forward
As Smith prepares to leave prison, Tony Hudgell continues to inspire with his resilience and determination. Now attending school with the aid of prosthetic legs and sometimes a wheelchair, he has defied medical expectations and become a symbol of triumph over adversity.
His adoptive parents, Paula and Mark Hudgell of Kings Hill, Kent, have provided the love and support that transformed a child once fighting for survival into a national hero. Tony’s fundraising has exceeded £1.8 million to date, with his foundation continuing to support vulnerable children across Britain.
The case remains a watershed moment in British child protection law, with Tony’s Law providing judges greater powers to punish those who harm society’s most vulnerable members. Yet for Paula Hudgell, watching her son’s abuser walk free whilst Tony faces a lifetime of challenges represents a fundamental injustice that no law can fully address.
“Nothing about his behaviour suggests he has changed or taken responsibility,” she said of Smith. “This man caused immeasurable harm to Tony, damage that will last a lifetime, and yet he walks free while the victim continues to carry the weight of his actions every single day.”
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