SCOTT HARMAN FROM HORAM RELEASED EARLY AND NOW LIVES NEAR BABY'S MUM IN WEST SUSSEX

In a distressing development, residents of Horam, West Sussex, are grappling with the unsettling reality that Scott Harman, a man convicted of heinous crimes involving his infant daughter, has been granted early release from prison and has now returned to live just a quarter of a mile from the home of the child's mother.

Harman, aged 30, was sentenced to serve seven years for his brutal treatment and the death of his eight-month-old daughter, Jessica. However, he was released after serving approximately four and a half years behind bars. Initially, restrictions were placed on his movement, preventing him from residing in the small village of Horam, but these restrictions have now expired, allowing him to move back in with his parents in the area.

The news has caused immense distress among the local community and especially the child's mother, who is deeply shaken by Harman’s return. A close friend of the mother, who lives less than a quarter of a mile away from Harman’s new residence, expressed her horror and fear. She stated, “She can’t believe it — and is terrified every time she goes out in case she sees him. It’s pure torment — after she had just started to put the tragedy behind her and move on with her life.”

The tragic circumstances surrounding Jessica’s death are harrowing. According to court proceedings, Harman, who was a welder by profession, inflicted severe injuries on his infant daughter, who was notably small at just 11 pounds. The court heard that Harman had spent weeks secretly squeezing Jessica’s ribs until they cracked, with a total of 15 ribs broken from his violent assaults. The final act of violence involved him violently shaking Jessica and smashing her head against a bedpost, which ultimately led to her death.

A post-mortem examination confirmed that Jessica had sustained multiple injuries, including cracked ribs from at least three previous attacks. The jury was told that her crying was the trigger for Harman’s violent outburst, which resulted in her tragic demise.

Nicola, a care assistant and mother of two from a previous relationship, was present in the home at the time of the attack. She recounted her horror, saying, “I felt physically sick. To think I was sleeping with her killer was too much to bear.” Nicola’s emotional pain was compounded by the fact that she had been unaware of the extent of Harman’s violence until it was too late.

Following Harman’s conviction for manslaughter and cruelty, he was sentenced to prison. However, the recent change in his parole status has left the community and Jessica’s mother devastated. A friend of Nicola’s expressed her fears, stating, “Now he is back she feels like she is reliving it all.”

When approached by The Sun for comment, Harman dismissed concerns with a scoff, saying, “I can’t see what the problem is,” further fueling the community’s fears and outrage over his early release and return to Horam.