Climbie chief 'bid to obstruct inquiry'

A social worker ordered to give evidence to the Victoria Climbie inquiry mounted a six-month campaign of "obstruction and obfuscation" to avoid doing so, a court heard today.

Carole Baptiste, 39, allegedly ignored two summonses and repeated requests to explain her role in the events leading to the child's death.

The claims were made as Ms Baptiste appeared in court today to face prosecution over her failure to appear at the public inquiry on 3 December. She pleaded not guilty to a charge under Section 250 of the Local Government Act, 1972, which carries a fine of £1,000 and up to six months imprisonment .

Brian Altman, prosecuting on behalf of the inquiry, told the hearing at Camberwell Green Magistrates' Court: "She was first given notice on the 23 May that she would be required. There has been an unhappy saga over the last six months which we would say amounts to obstruction and obfuscation."

He said that Ms Baptiste, who was a manager at the North Tottenham district office of Haringey social services, had already been severely criticised by colleagues who had given evidence to the inquiry so far, and that inquiry chairman Lord Laming was determined that she should explain her conduct.

The inquiry is attempting to shed light on the conduct of Haringey social services, along with three other councils, two hospitals and two police units in missing at least a dozen chances to prevent Victoria's death at the hands of her great aunt Marie-Therese Kouao, 44, and Kouao's boyfriend Carl Manning, 28, last year. They were both jailed for life in February. Ms Baptiste today spoke only to plead "not guilty".

Explaining her failure to attend the inquiry last week, her lawyer, Peter Shaw, said she had been too unwell to understand the summons. He told the court: "It is common knowledge that my client has had mental difficulties and serious depression and breakdown.

"At the time she was required to attend the inquiry she was not fit to do so. The issue is whether she was in a fit state at the time and whether her failure to attend amounted to a deliberate refusal to co-operate with the inquiry."

However, Mr Altman disputed the claim, saying there had "simply not been any evidence of such a medical history". Her own psychiatrist, he told the court, had said she was not only fit to attend but actually advised that she should do so.

After listening to both sides, District Judge Haydn Gott adjourned the case for trial to 20 February, pending a report from Ms Baptiste's GP and her psychiatrist at the Maudsley Hospital. Ms Baptiste, from Clapham, was released on unconditional bail.

It is understood that she is the first person to face prosecution for failing to give evidence to a public inquiry in Britain.