Perrin Barlow died of bronchial pneumonia in the flat of his mother and her partner in July 2002.

He was on the social services "at risk" register and south Devon coroner Nigel Meadows said there should be investigation into the system.

The case is being watched closely by local councils and child care workers.

'System neglect'

The council's social services department says the circumstances of Perrin's death have already been exhaustively investigated - leaving "no stone unturned".

It says the coroner was wrong to widen the inquest's scope beyond inquiring simply into the immediate cause of the youngster's death and events during the preceding two days.

But the coroner insists there has never been a sufficient public investigation into the background circumstances of Perrin's death.

He says that Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights - which enshrines the "right to life" - demands that the inquest jury consider whether "system neglect" by social services contributed to his death.

After a two-day hearing, Mr Justice Wilson has reserved his decision on the council's challenge and will give his ruling at a later, unspecified, date.