Tribunal upholds Baby P sackings

Gillie Christou and Maria Ward claimed they were unjustly fired by Haringey Council in north London in response to the public outcry about the little boy's horrific death.

But an employment tribunal panel ruled that the local authority acted reasonably in dismissing them because of serious failings in their care of the toddler.

Baby P, now named as Peter Connelly, was just 17 months old when he died in a blood-spattered cot in Tottenham, north London, on August 3 2007.

He had suffered more than 50 injuries despite being on the at-risk register and receiving 60 visits from social workers, police and health professionals over eight months.

Ms Ward was Peter's nominated social worker at Haringey Council from February 2007 until his death, and Mrs Christou was her team manager.

The pair were sacked after an investigation which revealed there was a period in mid-2007 when they did not know where the child was.

Peter's mother claimed she had taken the little boy to visit her sick uncle in Cricklewood, north-west London.

Ms Ward was also found to have failed to meet a requirement to see him at least once a fortnight.

The panel ruled in favour of the local authority by a majority of two to one in a judgment, handed down on Wednesday.

It noted that the facts of Peter's case were "sufficiently serious" that ensuring he was visited regularly was a "paramount requirement".

The judgment also observed that initial disciplinary proceedings brought by Haringey Council were "inadequate" and presided over by Sharon Shoesmith, who was herself fired as as director of children's services.