News

The social workers at the centre of the Victoria Climbie Inquiry, which opens on Wednesday, will not be called to give evidence until November, the provisional witness timetable reveals.

Lisa Arthurworrey, who was Victoria’s allocated social worker, is expected to give evidence to phase one of the public inquiry in the week of 19 November. Angella Mairs, Arthurworrey’s team leader, and Mary Richardson, then director of social services, are both expected to give evidence in the week of 26 November.

Arthurworrey and Mairs were suspended in October 2000 and March 2001 respectively, and council disciplinary proceedings against them are due to proceed once they are released from giving evidence to the public inquiry.

Climbie was bought from the Ivory Coast to England by her great aunt Marie-Therese Kouao in March 1999, and died 11 months later at the hands of Kouao and her boyfriend Carl Manning.

During her short time in England, she came into contact with three social services departments – Haringey, Brent and Ealing – as well as two hospitals and the Metropolitan Police.

Evidence from staff at Ealing Council is due to be heard next week, followed by staff at Brent Council the following week.

A new Victoria Climbie Inquiry website providing a schedule of witnesses, daily transcripts, and written witness statements of those people who have finished giving their evidence can be found at www.victoria-climbie-inquiry.org.uk