Toddler’s death provokes inquiry

North Lincolnshire area child protection committee is to
investigate the case of three-year-old Jasmine Galyer, whose
stepfather was jailed for her manslaughter last week.

Hull Crown Court was told how Jasmine died in February 2003 after
being violently shaken by Stewart Pirie. The family had been
visited by social workers five months earlier.

Social workers from North Lincolnshire Council visited Pirie’s home
in Scunthorpe in September 2002 after receiving an anonymous phone
call which raised concerns about the way Jasmine was being looked
after.

The caller made no allegations of physical abuse, said ACPC
independent chairperson Pete Andrews.

He added that the family had been out on the first visit and social
workers left a card. They returned the next day and found
everything to be satisfactory, noting that Pirie seemed to have a
good relationship with Jasmine and that there were no signs of
abuse.

Last week Pirie was jailed for eight years for manslaughter and two
years to run concurrently for cruelty to a child after pleading
guilty to both. Jasmine’s mother, Melissa Galyer, was sentenced to
two-and-a half-years after pleading guilty to cruelty to a
child.

Pirie had been investigated by police in November 2001 over
allegations that he had abused a teenage boy. He was not charged. A
spokesperson for Humberside police said social services were aware
of the case.