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A judge has criticised a social worker who banned a convicted paedophile from having contact with his daughters.

The judge was examining the case of a man who was convicted of assaulting an 11-year-old girl while he was working as a classroom assistant in the 1980s. He went on to marry and have two daughters but his relationship ended when his wife found out about his past.

After a legal battle, he was prevented having direct contact with his daughters, both still aged under 10.


At Guildford County Court in July, Judge Christopher Critchlow refused him permission to see the girls after reading a social worker's report which concluded that direct contact would place the girls "at risk of significant harm in terms of emotional and sexual abuse".

But in the Appeal Court last week, Lord Justice Wall said the social worker had gone "way beyond" her remit. He added that Judge Critchlow should have "ignored" many of her findings which showed a "partiality one does not expect" and for that reason his ruling was "fatally flawed".

The case must now be re-heard.