Baby P sacking 'lawful'

Friday, 23 April 2010 12:00 AM

By Sam Dale

The council official at the centre of the Baby P scandal was "lawfully" sacked, the High Court ruled today.

Sharon Shoesmith, the former head of children's services in Haringey, was fired after 17-month-old Baby P was died from injuries inflicted by his mother and her boyfriend.

Ms Shoesmith's lawyers claimed she was being made a scapegoat for the case and that police, health workers and social workers knew he was at risk.

She was sacked in December 2008 after an emergency Ofsted report slammed her department when it was revealed Peter saw authorities 60 times in his short life.

The children's head applied for a judicial review of her dismissal and took action against Haringey Council, Ofsted and children's secretary Ed Balls.

Ms Shoesmith's lawyers claimed the inspectors unfairly altered the report to make it more critical of her and court papers show it was redrafted 17 times.

But Ofsted inspectors insisted there was no pressure from the government to toughen up their findings.

Ms Shoesmith also claimed it is unlawful that she had no response to the report to "correct or contradict" it before it went to Ed Balls.

Mr Balls ordered her removal after receiving the report but her lawyers claim he was influenced by the media.

The council then sacked her without money in lieu of notice.

At judicial review hearings Mr Balls said he had "broad" powers to intervene and was not "improperly motivated" by party politics or the media.

Mr Justice Foskett QC ruled today that the Ms Shoesmith's dismissal was lawful.

Ed Balls commented on the case: "The urgent Ofsted inspection, which I commissioned following the end of the trial, found very serious failings in children's services in Haringey. Faced with the same situation- and on the basis of the information put before me- I would arrive at the same decision.

"The Judge, in his considered and extensive judgment, has found that my decision ..was, indeed, lawful and that in directing her removal and replacement I acted fairly and properly.

"But nothing we do now can take away the suffering of that little boy which continues to be a matter of deep sadness to us all."

Mr Balls Conservative shadow Michael Gove, supported the minister's decision but called for the proceedings of the inquiry to be published.

He said: "What matters here is not the adults but the children. I have been campaigning for years for the Government to reform child protection and publish the secret inquiries so that we can learn from mistakes and ensure child safety. Sadly Gordon Brown and Ed Balls have refused. If you want a new system where we publish the inquiries, end the cover-ups, and learn from mistakes - then vote Conservative."

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