Father's anger at baby death report

Carla-Nicole died in hospital

The father of a murdered baby girl has condemned a report which said health and social workers could not have foreseen the danger she faced.

Carla-Nicole Bone was murdered by her mother Andrea's partner Sandy McClure, who swung her by the ankles, smashing her head against the wall of their cottage in Huntly, Aberdeenshire.

McClure has begun a life sentence for the baby's murder and her mother was jailed for three years for culpable homicide.

An independent inquiry into how health and social workers handled Carla-Nicole's case concluded that although she was considered vulnerable her violent death could not have been foreseen.

Words cannot describe how I feel at the moment, I am very angry." David Mullany Carla-Nicole's father

However, the findings have angered Carla-Nicole's natural father, David Mullany, who accused the authorities of inaction.

Speaking at his home in Aberdeen, he said: "The authorities have done nothing, did nothing to stop it. I'm very angry and scared for all the other fathers out there who may be in my position.

"I feel that the powers-that-be need to reinvestigate why this was allowed to happen and a child died.

"They have to take a good long, hard look at themselves and what they are all about to prevent this happening again."

Mr Mullany, who is originally from Blackburn, in Lancashire, added: "Words cannot describe how I feel at the moment, I am very angry."

Carla-Nicole was known to care services in Grampian NHS Trust, Aberdeen City Council and then Aberdeenshire Council after the family moved house.

A review carried out by two independent experts at the request of the North East of Scotland Child Protection Committee (NESCPC) concluded that care services "could not have foreseen her violent death" last May.

Sandy McClure abused the child

However, the report contained 37 separate recommendations including the tightening up of procedures and better communication between care services.

It called for continuity of contact with vulnerable families so that small but often significant changes in the health of children were not missed.

The report also stressed that responsibility for protecting children lies with the whole community and that help from the public is essential.

Speaking at the publication of the findings, the director of Aberdeenshire Council social services said blame was placed where it belonged.

Colin Mackenzie said: "The blame in this situation lies very clearly with the individual who was found guilty after trial of murdering Carla and that's where that situation rests.

"There are lessons for us all in terms of improving our practice and making sure that we do the very best we can for children in this situation and vulnerable families in general.

"But as far as blame goes, I think that's already been decided."