by Adam Williams

Two brothers convicted for their involvement in the abuse of Baby P terrorised their grandmother in her Chestfield bungalow more than a decade earlier.

Widow Hilda Barker was intimidated over a period of months in 1995 as Stephen Barker, 33, and 37-year-old Jason Owen - who recently changed his name from Jason Barker - tried to force her into changing her will.

The 82-year-old became a prisoner in her Green Leas home, suffering verbal, mental and physical abuse at the hands of the brothers, who went on to play their part in the shocking abuse of 17-month-old 'Baby P' - now revealed as Peter Connelly - who died in August 2007.

The pair were charged with assaulting Mrs Barker, but the case was dropped after the elderly woman died of pneumonia.

As their identities along with that of Baby Peter's mother - 28-year-old Tracey Connelly - were revealed on Tuesday with the lifting of a court order, next door neighbour 58-year-old Jackie Cole, (pictured below left) recalled how Mrs Barker never recovered from the ordeal.

She said: "They were unruly, boisterous, appeared a lot younger than their age and it was clear to see they couldn’t be controlled."

Mrs Barker, a mother-of-two, moved to Chestfield in the 1950s with her husband George, who died in the early 1990s. She was allegedly beaten by Barker, of Penshurst Road, Tottenham and Owen, formerly of Wittersham Road, Bromley, in November 1995.

Jackie, bricklayer David, 62, and their two children were on holiday at the time. When they returned, Hilda had been admitted to the Ladesfield Care Home in Borstal Hill, Whitstable, where she remained until her death in February 1996.

"She never came back home after that incident," added Mrs Cole. "Hilda was a lovely lady, you could not wish for a better next door neighbour."

Audio: Jackie Cole talks to reporter Adam Williams about the brothers' visits to Chestfield

The brothers also allegedly dressed up in Halloween masks, locked Mrs Barker in a cupboard and forced her to go to cash machines to draw out money for them.

Mrs Cole said she was "horrified" by the brothers' involvement in the Baby P case. She added: "It makes you fear just who else might have been a victim of their behaviour."

The toddler was subjected to severe abuse from Barker, who had an obsession with knives and collected Nazi military memorabilia, including helmets and daggers decorated with swastikas.

Baby Peter was used as a punchbag and had his fingernails pinched – possibly ripped off by pliers – until they fell off. This happened while Connelly chain-smoked, gossiped in internet chat sites and played online poker.

Barker and Owen were found guilty at the Central Criminal Court of causing or allowing the death of a child in November. Connelly had already pleaded guilty to the same offence.

Barker and Connelly were jailed for 12 and five years respectively. Owen received a three-year prison sentence.