Tony Hudgell

Antony Hudgell (born 8 October 2014 as Antony Simpson), is a British fundraiser and recipient of the Pride of Britain Award and UK Points of Light award.

Tony Hudgell
Born
Antony Smith

(2014-10-08) 8 October 2014
Maidstone, Kent, England
Years active2020–present
Known forBeing abused by his biological mother and father at 41 days old, and for fundraising during the COVID-19 pandemic
Awards
  • Points of Light Award (2020)
  • Pride of Britain Award: Good Morning Britain Young Fundraiser of the Year (2020)
  • British Citizen Youth Award (BCyA) (2021)
Websitewww.tonyhudgellfoundation.org

In 2020, aged five, inspired by Captain Tom Moore’s fundraising walk, he walked 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) on his prosthetic legs throughout June 2020 and raised £1.8 million for the Evelina London Children's Hospital (NHS), where he had received care after receiving life-changing injuries inflicted by his birth parents when he was a baby.

Hudgell has also inspired an English law change to increase prison sentences for those convicted of child cruelty and neglect.

Early life

Originally known as Antony Smith, Hudgell was the son of birth parents Jody Simpson and Tony Smith, from Whitstable, Kent.[1] In their Maidstone flat, described by the Kent and Sussex Courier as "filthy",[2] the couple inflicted such severe injuries on their six-week-old baby that his legs eventually had to be amputated. He had been assaulted at 41 days old, resulting in multiple fractures, dislocations and blunt trauma to the face. He was left untreated and in agony for 10 days, causing organ failure, toxic shock and sepsis.[3]

The younger Smith was treated at Evelina London Children's Hospital; he suffered eight limb fractures and head trauma which left him deaf in one ear, and had to have 23 operations and eight blood transfusions. Aged three, he had a double amputation at the knees, and his hip is permanently dislocated.[4] He was adopted by Mark and Paula Hudgell of Kings Hill in Kent, and renamed Tony Hudgell.[5]

In the 2023 New Year Honours, Paula Hudgell was appointed OBE for services to children.[6]

Birth parents' convictions

In February 2018, his birth parents were convicted of child cruelty offences and given 10-year prison sentences (the maximum then available) at Maidstone Crown Court.[1] Simpson and Smith later applied for their sentences to be reduced; Simpson subsequently discontinued her appeal, while Smith's appeal was rejected.[7] While in prison in August 2018, Smith was attacked by fellow inmates at HMP Swaleside.[2][8] After serving five years in prison, including time spent on remand before their trial, Smith and Simpson were set to be released in August 2022.[9]

The case of Simpson, earlier transferred to an open prison[10] and who was set to be released at the halfway point on 12 August 2022, was referred to the Parole Board by the Justice Secretary Dominic Raab.[3] In December 2022, the High Court ruled Raab's bid to delay the release of Simpson from prison was unlawful.[11] Raab appealed against the decision but was overruled, and in February 2023 Simpson was released.[12]

On 28 August 2022, Smith's release was also placed on hold and his case referred to the Parole Board.[13] In June 2023, Smith's application to the Parole Board was rejected and he was set to remain in prison until the end of his sentence in September 2027.[14]

Life after injury

Fundraising

In June 2020, aged five and inspired by Captain Tom Moore's NHS fundraising during the COVID-19 pandemic, Tony Hudgell set out to raise £500 for Evelina London Children's Hospital by walking 10 km (6.2 mi) on his prosthetic legs.[15][5] The figure quickly topped £1 million,[5][16] with the final amount raised totalling £1.7 million.[17]

The Tony Hudgell Foundation aims to enhance the lives of children who have been affected by physical, emotional and psychological abuse.[18][19]

Awards

Hudgell received a Points of Light award in September 2020.[20] At a Points of Light reception at 10 Downing Street on 9 August 2022, Hudgell was thanked by the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson for his fundraising efforts,[17] and for inspiring legal changes — 'Tony's Law' — to prevent future suffering.[21]

Hudgell was also presented with a Pride of Britain Award in November 2020,[22] under the ‘Good Morning Britain Young Fundraiser’ category and received a British Citizen Youth Award at the House of Lords in October 2021.[9][23]

Football

In September 2020, Hudgell became the first-team mascot of Kings Hill FC.[24] A supporter of Chelsea,[25] he was presented with Chelsea UEFA Champions League tickets on his 7th birthday on the ITV breakfast show This Morning in October 2021,[18] and he joined the English Lionheart squad, the Football Association's group of 23 everyday heroes - "inspirational individuals who went above and beyond during the nation’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic".[25]

'Tony's Law'

In 2018, the Hudgells started a petition to campaign for tougher sentences for child cruelty and neglect,[7] and their cause was taken up by their local MP for Tonbridge and Malling, Tom Tugendhat, who introduced a Child Cruelty (Sentences) Bill in the House of Commons in 2019.[26] The Bill did not progress after the December 2019 United Kingdom general election, but in September 2020 Tugendhat urged its reintroduction and the government said it would hold further discussions.[26]

'Tony's Law' was eventually enacted in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and introduced tougher sentencing powers, including potential life sentences, for child abusers in England and Wales.[27][28] The maximum sentence for causing or allowing a child's death was increased from 14 years to life, while the maximum penalty for causing serious harm to a child was increased from 10 to 14 years.[29]

References
  1. "Amputee baby's parents jailed for 10 years". BBC News. 19 February 2022. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  2. Harrison, Will (21 February 2018). "Inside the filthy home of Jody Simpson and Tony Smith where their newborn baby was abused". Kent Live. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  3. "Mother who abused her child so badly he had to have his legs amputated may be kept in prison". Sky News. 11 August 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  4. Roberts, Julia; Drake, Matt (30 January 2022). "Adoptive mum of child abused by birth mother begs 'don't free monster' applying for day release". Kent Live. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  5. "Tony Hudgell, 5, completes 10km walk on prosthetic legs". BBC News. 26 June 2020. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  6. "New Years Honours 2023: Tony Hudgell's campaigning mother appointed OBE". BBC News. 31 December 2022. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  7. "Amputee baby's father Tony Smith loses appeal bid". BBC News. 11 October 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  8. Hooper, Paul (4 May 2022). "Man who abused baby so badly his legs were amputated battered with tins of tuna by inmates for two hours". Independent. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  9. Walker, Joe (7 August 2022). "Evil birth parents of abused baby Tony Hudgell to be released this month". Kent Online. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  10. "Tony Hudgell: Shock after abused child's mother moves to open prison". BBC News. 31 January 2022. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
  11. Pilgrim, Tom (17 December 2022). "Tony Hudgell's mother 'disappointed' after failed bid to delay abuser's release". Evening Standard. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  12. "Tony Hudgell: Adoptive mother shocked over child abuser's prison release". BBC News. 3 February 2023. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  13. "Tony Hudgell: Release of birth father halted under new law on offenders". BBC News. 28 August 2022.
  14. "Amputee baby's father Tony Smith loses parole appeal bid". BBC News. 6 June 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  15. "Amputee schoolboy Tony Hudgell raises £320,000 for NHS". BBC News. 8 June 2020. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  16. "Inspiring five-year-old raises over £1 million for hospital that saved him". Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  17. "Tony Hudgell receives award for his sponsored walks". BBC News. 9 August 2022. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  18. "Brave Tony gets birthday surprise on This Morning". Kent Online. 8 October 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  19. "Tony Hudgell Foundation". Tony Hudgell Foundation. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  20. "Tony's 10k Walk - 1413: Tony Hudgell". Points of Light. Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street. 30 June 2020. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  21. "PM remarks at Points of Light Downing Street reception: 9 August 2022". Gov.UK. 9 August 2022. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  22. "Displaying items by tag: 2020 winner - Pride of Britain Awards".
  23. "Youth Honours October 2021". Home. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  24. "Tony Hudgell - Mascot for 1st team". Kings Hill FC. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  25. Heap, Emily-Jane (22 August 2021). "Double amputee's 'dream comes true' meeting football hero Mason Mount and rest of Chelsea squad". Kent Live. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  26. "Tony Hudgell: MP calls for tougher child cruelty sentences". BBC News. 11 September 2020. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  27. "Tony's Law: Plans for tougher child abuse sentences confirmed". BBC News. 21 November 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  28. Arahu, Esra (9 August 2022). "Tony's Law: What is it, and how did it come into effect?". Evening Standard. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  29. "Tony's Law: Child abusers face tougher sentences as law changes". BBC News. 28 June 2022. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
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