Climbié Social Worker Escapes Jail Term For Harassment

The social worker fired over the horrific death of Victoria Climbié avoided jail yesterday after pleading guilty to a prolonged campaign of harassment against her neighbour.

{mosimage}The two-year tirade of abuse included Lisa Arthurworrey falsely accusing Michelle Summer of being involved in a paedophile ring.

Arthurworrey was also accused of verbally abusing her, deliberately playing loud music and writing abusive letters. Arthurworrey also claimed that her neighbour’s daughter reminded her of Victoria. It left her neighbour feeling “sickened and appalled”.

Arthurworrey, who was sacked by Haringey council for failing to spot systematic abuse of the eight-year old before her murder at the hands of her great aunt and her boyfriend six years ago, had admitted sending a succession of abusive letters.

Today Enfield magistrates heard that the 37-year old’s harassment campaign against Ms Summer had led to her having nightmares and becoming depressed and felt that she had been violated as a result of Arthurworrey’s behaviour.

Arthurworrey was ordered to pay £200 costs and £250 compensation, and was given a conditional discharge for two years. She had been facing up to six months in jail.

Her appearance before Enfield magistrates followed a dispute with a couple living beneath her flat in Winchmore Hill, between December last year and May. It culminated in her arrest.

Sentencing, the judge said: “For this fairly unpleasant situation that you have brought about, I am giving you a conditional discharge for two years and a restraining order of three years, prohibiting you from putting correspondence of any sort through Miss Summer’s letterbox.

“This will also prohibit you from playing very loud music or from slamming doors, and from communicating with Miss Summer in any manner.”

The conviction could bring to an end Arthurworrey’s attempt to return to social work, from which she has been banned since the Climbié case.

Friends claim her loss of control was a reaction to the fallout from the inquiry into the ragedy, for which she claims to have been made a “scapegoat”.

At the time of the Laming inquiry into Victoria’s murder, Arthurworrey said she had been left “on the verge of a breakdown”. She suffered insomnia and depression, for which she took medication and needed weekly counselling.

However, others involved in the Climbié case went on to better jobs.