Toddler was in ‘severe danger’ before killing

CAMPAIGNERS said yesterday there was evidence that a toddler killed by his mother’s boyfriend had been in “severe danger” — despite a report saying his death could not have been predicted.

Child protection bosses insisted the probe into the death of Brandon Muir in Dundee was not a whitewash.

A review into the killing of the 23-month-old boy said there was “little opportunity” to prevent the fatal assault by drug addict Robert Cunningham.

The report revealed that vital information about Cunningham’s violent past was not shared at a meeting between police, social workers and health staff.

But it said his violence towards the youngster “could not have been predicted”.

Brandon, from Dundee, died on March 16 last year after suffering a ruptured intestine following the assault by Cunningham.

The 23-year-old was jailed for 10 years after he was convicted of culpable homicide at the High Court in Glasgow earlier this year.

Allan Petrie, a founding member of the Real Justice for Brandon campaign, said there was “enough evidence to show that Brandon was in severe danger”.

He hit out: “The report shows that the system is to blame, the whole social work system.”

Cunningham had moved in with Brandon’s mother, Heather Boyd, three weeks before the fatal attack.

He had come to the attention of police previously, with allegations of domestic abuse against an ex-girlfriend. This was raised at a meeting involving police, social workers and health staff, but there was no information highlighting a more serious aspect of the two most recent allegations.

While those at the meeting had “serious concerns”, the report added: “There were no red lights or alarms around this case.”

The meeting, which took place on February 28 last year, concluded there were no immediate grounds for removing the children at that time.

It was also agreed there should be an urgent case conference, with this scheduled for March 18 — two days after Brandon’s death.

And while it later became known Brandon’s mother had been taking drugs and was involved in prostitution, this had not come to the attention of the agencies with which she was involved.

James Hawthorn, an independent social work consultant, carried out a significant case review into the circumstances.

His report concluded: “The violence of Robert Cunningham towards Brandon Muir could not have been predicted.”

And Alan Baird, chairman of the Dundee Children and Young Persons Protection Committee, insisted: “This was not a whitewash.”

He said: “I am satisfied that the outcome of the reports reflect a fair and balanced view of circumstances leading up to Brandon’s death.

“I think staff responded quickly across agencies, and there are a number of things within the report we take very seriously.

“We are moving forward on all issues identified and accept all recommendations in full.”

Hawthorn said that while the assault on Brandon could not have been anticipated, there were weaknesses in inter-agency working and in practice at the time.

He added the sharing of information on drug addict Cunningham was “hindered by time and resource pressures on health visitors, social workers and police”.

Hawthorn claimed there was “never any hint of a chaotic household or chaotic lifestyle”.

Yesterday’s reports come after government inspectors heavily criticised child protection services in Dundee.

In their report, which did not look specifically at the Brandon Muir case, they warned of “major weaknesses” in identifying children who needed protection.