Social workers to give evidence in November

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