The adopted mum of Tony Hudgell, who lost both his legs after abuse inflicted by his biological parents, is calling for a child cruelty register to be introduced, akin to a register for sex offenders.

Paula Hudgell, from Kings Hill and mum to Tony Hudgell, now seven, has made the call following the death of six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, from Solihull, West Midlands.

Arthur was left with an unsurvivable brain injury while in the sole care of 32-year-old Emma Tustin, who was on Friday jailed for life after being convicted of murder by assaulting the child in June 2020.

Arthur’s father Thomas Hughes was sentenced to 21 years for manslaughter.

Last week, Paula's long running campaign to increase the maximum sentence available to child abusers secured Government backing.

Under Tony's Law, those found guilty of the serious physical harm of a child would see their jail term increased from ten to 14 years – and life where the abuse leads to death.

The campaign was sparked after Tony's abusers, Jody Simpson and Antony Smith, were both sent to prison for 10 years in 2018, the maximum sentence available.

Tony was left fighting for his life after he sustained several fractures that led to sepsis and toxic shock syndrome when he was just 41 days old.

After last week's long-sought victory, Paula is now calling for a register for those convicted of child cruelty to be introduced, which she said would work exactly like a sex offender's register, adding: "Tabs can be kept on them, they won't be able to work with children, move in with children, if they have children they will be taken into care."

"Police can know where they are and what they are up to."

Tony's birth parents are set for release next September, and Paula says the thought "scares the light out of her".

"They will spend five years on licence, but after that, she's young enough to have more children. He could move in with someone with children, it just doesn't bare thinking of really."

Last week, Paula met with Justice Secretary Dominic Raab, who revealed plans for tougher sentences for abusers, and spoke to him about the need for a register, adding the minister was "surprised we didn't have one".

Paula only found out herself while campaigning for Tony's Law and speaking to police officers as well as officials, about the reform needed.

She learnt there also needs to be, and is now calling for, a specialist department for child cruelty in the Crown Prosecutors Service, just as there is for rape and other crimes.

This is because such cases can often be very complex.

She also wants to see more transparency between family courts and criminal courts, where the latter proactively passes on information to the former.

She said: "A lot of children under social services will go to family court, the court will agree the child needs to be adopted or go home. But, as in Tony's case, a lot of information wasn't passed on to the criminal court which it should have been.

"In Tony's case, his life long injuries, all those pieces of information regarding his birth parents should have been handed over to the criminal court."

Last year, Tony became a symbol of hope during the pandemic after taking inspiration from Sir Captain Tom Moore and walking 10km on his prosthetic legs to raise £1.5million for the hospital that saved his life.

The Discovery School pupil - who walks with the help of crutches - was cheered across the finish line by well-wishers who braved the rain to see him complete his fundraising mission.

He has received numerous awards, had a book named after him and even met the Prime Minister.