Inquiry call as outcry grows over quizzing of 'abuse' girl

POLITICAL pressure was growing last night for an inquiry into the handling of an alleged child abuse case in which a judge criticised the training and methods of the lead social worker and police.

Following revelations in The Scotsman yesterday, the Scottish Conservative children's spokeswoman Liz Smith has demanded an investigation after Sheriff Neil Morrison seriously criticised the interrogation and use of an "unjustified" invasive and intimate medical examination of a five-year-old girl in Edinburgh.

The case also led to renewed Labour demands for a national review of child protection in Scotland, something the party has been pressing for since the death of Dundee baby Brandon Muir last year.

Sheriff Morrison said lead social worker Tracey Black and police officers DC Colin Johnson and PC Susan Purnell should be removed from child interviewing duties and retrained. He said the techniques used with the girl were "damaging".

But while Lothian and Borders Police has followed the sheriff's advice, Edinburgh city council has stood by Ms Black and removed her only from that case while allowing her to continue with the rest of her workload.

Yesterday, Ms Smith said: "This is an extremely disturbing and worrying case. For the sake of all of whom have suffered, and all the many social workers who do an excellent job, there needs to be an urgent inquiry into this matter."

Edinburgh city council said it would support a wider-ranging review. A spokesman said: "If the issue of how children are interviewed is to be looked at, we would welcome and participate in such a review."

The push for a national review was also backed by Labour children's spokeswoman Karen Whitefield, who said: "It is clear that a re-examination of the child protection system is required and the Scottish Government must take a lead on this.

"Any case where large failings are identified in the system that is designed to protect children is of great concern and must be fully investigated and acted upon."

Ms Black's boss, Michelle Miller, said she was sure the parties involved would consider issues raised by the Edinburgh case as part of their ongoing performance monitoring.

In a letter to The Scotsman in her capacity as president of the Association of Directors of Social Work, she contested claims that the case reflected a wider problem in Scotland.However, she warned of problems to come as budgets were stretched.

She said: "As referrals to child protection services increase year on year, and as resources become stretched ever more thinly to cope with unprecedented demand, ensuring we have the specialist staff, facilities and technology to document evidence in abuse cases, as well as dealing with all the other aspects of public protection, care and support will be a major challenge."

The Scottish Government said there was no need for a review of national guidelines because they were updated only last month. But a Crown Office spokesman said discussions were taking place with the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland and the Scottish Government to update guidelines on interviews in child abuse cases.