Council 'sorry' for murder delay

Andre Genestin hid his wife's body in a car roof box in their garden

A council has apologised for delays by social workers who failed to act on concerns raised by a young girl whose mother had been murdered by her father.

An official report said Brighton and Hove City Council's failure to act had increased the risk that the eight-year-old girl could be harmed.

Her father Andre Genestin was jailed for life in May for murdering his wife Catherine at their home in Brighton.

The council said it apologised for any distress caused to the child.

Genestin, 48, used a mallet to crush the skull of 38-year-old Catherine as she sat on their lounge sofa, then hid her body in a roof box in their garden in Maresfield Road.

Their daughter, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told her headteacher she was worried about the sudden disappearance of her mother in May 2007.

The report highlights the importance of sharing information, particularly in cases of domestic violence Di Smith

The teacher contacted the council children's social care team several times, telling them of her own fears that Mrs Genestin may have come to harm.

The serious case review report released on Tuesday said the headteacher felt she was not taken seriously by council staff because of a reputation within social care of "over-reacting".

At one point the case was closed, but the headteacher continued to be alarmed at what the young girl was telling her and again contacted the children's social care team last June.

It was not until six weeks after the girl first raised her concerns with her headteacher that a social worker visited the family home.

After being concerned about the answers given by Andre Genestin, the social worker alerted police who found his wife's body.

The report concluded that, as well as increasing the risks to the child, the delays caused her unnecessary anxiety and distress.

Frenchman Genestin, who came to England in 1994, had a history of domestic violence against his Russian wife dating back to 2000 when they were living in Reading, Berkshire.

The local A&E, GP, social services and Thames Valley Police were aware of the domestic violence.

The body of Catherin Genestin was hidden in a roof box in the garden

But when the family moved to Brighton in 2006 under a housing exchange, the information was not passed on.

However, when they registered with local GPs their medical records did include information about the domestic violence.

Genestin's mental health was assessed a number of times and in 2006 he tried to commit suicide.

The report concludes that there is no evidence that any individual or agency could have predicted or prevented the death of Mrs Genestin with the information they had available.

But it makes a number of recommendations to prevent further errors in the future.

'Listening to child'

Di Smith, chair of the council's local safeguarding children board, said it fully accepted the recommendations.

"In particular we should have put more emphasis on listening to the child," she said.

"We are all working hard to make sure that her life chances are secured with appropriate support.

"The views of children are central to effective child protection. We have reinforced this message with all staff.

"There were delays in the assessment process and we apologise for any distress caused to the child.

"The report highlights the importance of sharing information, particularly in cases of domestic violence.

"The review is not suggesting that any one individual's action would have changed the outcome, but a different response to a number of incidents might have altered the overall course of events."