Social Worker Caught Lying

July 29, 2003 permalink

British social worker Christine Purcell avoided jail after pleading guilty to lying in court about a child. Believe it or not, the court says this the only case of a Cafcass worker lying that has ever occurred in Britain.

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Social worker lied to court about children

Portsmouth News — 29 July 2003, by Michael Short, Crime reporter

A SOCIAL worker who lied in court and then asked a foster family to back her story has avoided being sent to jail.

Christine Purcell made up details in a report for Portsmouth Crown Court.

When the 52-year old realised she could be found out she tried lo cover her tracks by persuading foster parents to lie for her. But they went to the authorities.

Al Guildford Crown Court yesterday Judge John Bull QC said that Purcell. of North Street, Westbourne, Emsworth, had abused a position of trust.

Purcell, who had already pleaded guilty to perjury and perverting the course of Justice, was jailed for 12 months but her sentence was suspended because the judge agreed there had been exceptional circumstances in the case and she had been under pressure at home and work.

The court heard earlier that Purcell worked for the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass). It was her Job to work with families and advise the courts on how they could act in the best interests of the children.

Prosecutor Helen Khan said Purcell trade false claims in a report to the court. In a family case looking at the futures of three youngsters, she said she had met with the foster family and the children they were looking after to talk about adoption. This was not true.

Miss Khan explained how Purcell called on the foster family's home later, confessed what she had done and asked that they back her story and tell her bosses at Cafcass she had visited.

Emma Broadbent, defending, said Purcell could not explain why she had lied. 'She had nothing to benefit from and it did not affect the outcome of the hearing.' said Miss Broadbent

She said Purcell had some 20 years' experience as a social worker and an exemplary record. Miss Broadbent said Purcell had been working 12 hour days, seven days a week in the lead-up to the incident last summer.

Before the case came to court Purcell resigned from her post

Organisation under fire

JUDGE John Bull said that there had been no other case in England where Cafcass workers had told lies.

But the organisation, which deals with custody battles in the courts, has come In for much criticism since being set up In April 2001.

Last month the organisation was at the centre of a trial at Portsmouth Magistrates' Court In which a disgruntled father appeared on criminal damage charges.

The man — who The News is not allowed to identify — had painted the front door of the Portsmouth Cafcass offices purple in protest at the way in which the group had treated him.

The organisation has been criticised In wider circles for failing families and their children.

This has been blamed on chronic staff shortages in the agency.

Source: photocopy