Baby P 'Boss' Challenges Dismissal

The former children's services chief who lost her job over the Baby P tragedy is "financially ruined and will never work again".

Her lawyer told the High Court today that Sharon Shoesmith - who comes originally from Newtownabbey in Co Antrim - has suffered ill health and that she has even considered suicide since she was dismissed following a probe into 17-month-old Peter Connelly's death, the court heard.

The 56-year-old was at the High Court to launch a judicial challenge over her sacking.

She was sacked by Haringey Council, in north London, in December after a report into her department's failings.

Ms Shoesmith will bring judicial review proceedings against the council, Children's Secretary Ed Balls and regulator Ofsted.

Mr Balls sent Ofsted inspectors into Haringey last November after the trial of those responsible for the death of Baby Peter.

The review team identified a string of "serious concerns" about the local authority's child protection services, which they condemned as "inadequate".

Mr Balls removed Ms Shoesmith from her post on December 1 and Haringey formally dismissed her a week later.

She attempted to overturn the decision to sack her but a panel of councillors rejected her appeal.

In March, Ms Shoesmith lodged an employment tribunal claim for unfair dismissal against Haringey Council and launched her judicial review application.

Baby P, later identified as Peter Connelly, was 17 months old when he died in August 2007 at the hands of his mother, Tracey Connelly, her lover, Steven Barker and their lodger, Jason Owen.

He had suffered 50 injuries despite receiving 60 visits from social workers, doctors and police over the final eight months of his life.

A series of reviews identified missed opportunities when officials could have saved the little boy's life if they had acted properly on the warning signs in front of them.

(BMcC/KMcA)