A SOCIAL worker from Blackburn who expressed support for a man who had been accused of serious sexual abuse to north-west colleagues has been given a nine-month suspension.

John Barrie Arnold even wrote to social services in St Helens saying that he would continue to allow the unnamed man to see his three grandchildren, as he didn’t believe he posed a risk.

A Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) fitness to practice panel initially banned Arnold from the profession for four months after a hearing last October.

He was also in further trouble after expressing his personal views to councillors on the matter, it was decided.

The October hearing, at which he was not present, was told that his refusal to then pass on details of his grandchildren on request to St Helens social services, when required, was considered to be “deplorable”.

Now after a review took place in London, a fresh HCPC panel has ruled the social worker had presented only “limited evidence” recognising his own failings and extended his original suspension.

Arnold also did not attend the hearing but sent three bundles of related documentation, from January 22 to February 7.

The review panel found that none of the material postdated the October hearing and the social worker had also failed to provide any evidence of his current situation.

Confirming the new ban, a HCPC spokesman said: “Looking at the previous panel’s decision, it is clear that the registrant displayed a significant lack of judgment and ability to set appropriate professional boundaries during an admittedly unusual and stressful set of circumstances.

“The registrant’s actions led to the possibility of child safety being compromised.

“This was an unacceptable state of affairs for a qualified social worker of many years standing.”

Arnold’s professional status will be examined again by the watchdog when the fresh order officially expires in December.