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One of Victoria Climbie’s killers has told the inquiry into her death that social services should not be blamed for failing to act, writes Sally Gillen.

Carl Manning said that he had watched the news and "certain people are getting flak for it". His interview was recorded on 10 January from Leeds combined court, and replayed to the Victoria Climbie inquiry on Wednesday.

Singling out Lisa Arthurworrey, he said: "Even when they are looking at people being incompetent, not doing their jobs to their ability, in terms of Lisa I could not put any blame. She was always there trying to help."

He added that he should not have contributed to an environment of such "pain and suffering", and that the situation had been "sickening".

Manning, who was convicted of Victoria’s murder last year and given a life sentence along with his lover, Victoria’s great aunt Marie-Therese Kouao, said he could not come to terms with how Victoria had been treated.

He was responding to questions from inquiry chairperson Lord Laming, who had asked if services could and should have done more to help.

Questioned earlier by inquiry counsel Neil Sheldon QC over whether he was surprised that neither social services or the police contacted him again regarding the withdrawal of allegations of sexual abuse made in November 1999, Manning replied: "I was, yes".

Arthurworrey had phoned a couple of times in late November and left messages for Manning or Kouao to call her back, which they did not do, but she never saw them in person again, he said.

Manning also admitted colluding with Kouao to deceive social services by pretending to have a fiancée to help Kouao’s housing application. Kouao had also coached Victoria on how to behave before a home visit by Arthurworrey, he added.

He went on to apologise to Victoria’s parents, saying: "It may not mean much to them now…but I am very sorry for what happened."