The mum of a young boy who was abused as a child and needed his legs amputated has called for a child cruelty registers.

Similar to the sex offenders register, it would see those who bring harm to babies and children placed on a special list.

Now, Paula Hudgell, who adopted Tony Hudgell after he was savagely abused by Anthony Smith and Jody Simpson, has called for the registers after Smith was almost released from prison.

Paula, from Kings Hill, wants to introduce the protective list to stop any other children from being abused, reports the Mirror.

Smith and Simpson were set to be released last August before Justice Secretary Dominic Raab stepped in and halted the release.

Simpson, 29, was freed earlier this year, but Smith was kept behind bars after a Parole Board described him as having "reckless and impulsive” behaviour.

“The reasons given by the Parole Board for their refusal are pretty damning,” Paula said.

“But it’s worrying to know that without the new laws, Smith would now be walking our streets.

The 55-year-old wrote to now Justice Secretary Alex Chalk calling for him to support a child cruelty register.

She added: “We must keep pushing. Smith, Simpson and the like need to be monitored so no one else suffers like Tony did.”

Tony was 41 days old when he was assaulted by his birth parents, an attack which caused multiple fractures, dislocations and blunt trauma to the face, leading to organ failure, toxic shock and sepsis.

He was left untreated and in agony for 10 days and, due to the extent of his injuries, both his legs had to be amputated.

A jury of seven women and five men took less than an hour to return unanimous verdicts on the pair who were jailed at Maidstone Crown Court in February 2018.

The couple, who moved from their squalid flat in Sunningdale Court, Square Hill Road, Maidstone to Whitstable, remained impassive as they were convicted.

Mrs Hudgell previously said Simpson and Smith’s sentence “doesn’t reflect the severity of the crime”.