Coroner wins battle on baby death

Perrin Barlow was nine months old when he died

A Devon coroner has won his fight to force Plymouth City Council to release confidential documents relating to the death of a baby boy.

Perrin Barlow was nine months old when he died in July 2002 in a city flat.

He was on the social services "at risk" register, but a report by the council into the death has remained unseen.

Coroner Nigel Meadows on Wednesday persuaded the county court at Taunton to reject the council's application to keep the report out of an inquest.

'Fundamental failure'

The council told the court that the coroner should stick to his remit, the immediate cause of death and the days before Perrin's death.

But the coroner argued that the circumstances which allowed the situation to arise should be investigated and the council's report into the case should therefore be released.

Perrin died due to bronchopneumonia, made worse by malnutrition and dehydration.

His drug addict mother, Stephanie Horrocks, and partner Mark McAndrew, were jailed in 2004 after admitting cruelty to Perrin. Horrocks died later in jail.

A "serious case review" into the death was made by the Area Child Protection Committee, which includes police, council and health workers.

Only a summary of the review's report was made public, which said there was a "fundamental failure" to protect Perrin from harm.

We are disappointed with the outcome of today's hearing Plymouth City Council

Mr Meadows last year lost a High Court battle for a full jury inquest into the death.

He said the European Convention on Human Rights demanded that an inquest jury consider whether social workers were to blame.

But Mr Justice Wilson said workers could not have suspected a "real and immediate risk to Perrin's life".

A city council spokesman said on Wednesday that it would be fighting to keep the names of people not directly related to the case out of the inquest.

He said: "We are disappointed with the outcome of today's hearing and we will pursue the point of public interest immunity, and where this applies to the serious case review report, with the coroner before the inquest.

"We will continue to ensure that Mr Justice Wilson's judgement not to hold an extended style inquest made at last year's High Court hearing is honoured.

"We now hope that Perrin Barlow's inquest can go ahead without further delay."

Mr Meadows, who is hoping to open an inquest later this year, was unavailable for comment.