Perrin Barlow: Coroner wants investigation into his care

Perrin Barlow was nine months old when he died in July 2002 in a city flat.

South Devon Coroner Nigel Meadows said the European Convention on Human Rights demanded that an inquest jury consider whether social workers were to blame.

But Mr Justice Wilson said workers could not have suspected a "real and immediate risk to Perrin's life".

At risk

Plymouth City Council had told the High Court that there had already been a full investigation and the coroner should stick to his remit, the immediate cause of death and the days before the death.

The council said it welcomed the High Court's decision because it would "prevent hundreds of thousands of pounds having to be taken away from child protection services".

Perrin, who was on social services' at-risk register, died on 16 July 2002.

Apart from in relation to his weight, there was no history which gave rise to significant alarm about Perrin's health or safety, let alone in terms of a threat to his life Mr Justice Wilson

A post-mortem examination concluded that he died due to bronchopneumonia, made worse by malnutrition and dehydration.

Perrin's drug addict mother, Stephanie Horrocks, and partner Mark McAndrew, were jailed last year after admitting cruelty to Perrin. Horrocks died in jail.

The city council had put in place a "detailed child protection plan" after the youngster was treated in hospital between 24 March and 11 April 2002.

A report by the council's multi-agency Child Protection Committee earlier this month concluded that there was a "fundamental failure" to protect him from harm.

But Mr Justice Wilson said the core question was whether the child protection agencies, and in particular Plymouth City Council, should have suspected a "real and immediate risk to Perrin's life".

He held there were no tangible grounds for suspecting the child was in immediate danger.

'Astonishing support'

Although there was "constant concern" about Perrin's poor weight gain, there was "nothing to lead Plymouth or the health visitors to interpret it as putting his life at real and immediate risk".

"Apart from in relation to his weight, there was no history which gave rise to significant alarm about Perrin's health or safety, let alone in terms of a threat to his life," the judge added.

During Perrin's short life the city council and health visitors had provided an "astonishing level of support for the family", regularly monitoring his welfare and encouraging Mrs Horrocks to give him 'adequate and consistent day-to-day care'.

"I cannot presently recollect having heard a case in which support for a family in the community by child protection agencies was as intensive as was that provided for this family," he told the court.

Council Social Services Director John Baker said: "We are pleased with the outcome as we believe a full systems inquest would have repeated many of the inquiries and recommendations, at a cost of hundreds of thousands of pounds, which have already been implemented by the agencies involved.

"Our priority is to safeguard children and it has always been our intention to get to the bottom of this matter."