MORE embarrassment follows for Haringey Council's social services as a 'dishonest' social worker is struck off for failing to disclose criminal convictions and making false expenses claims.

Kawira Joyce Mukuru, who failed to attend a tribunal held at the General Social Care Council, was employed by Haringey Council between December 2002 and November 2008 and would have been working in the department at the time Baby P, Peter Connelly, died in August 2007.

The shamed social worker had been stopped by police in September 2005, but failed to provide a specimen for analysis when requested. She was convicted of the offence and disqualified from driving for 18 months.

But Ms Mukuru did not mention this to the GSCC or Haringey Council when she applied to register as a student social worker in 2005, and when she she registered as a fully-qualified social worker in 2007.

And she also kept secret her driving ban despite this being a vital part of her job, and even claimed expenses for petrol on eight separate occasions between 2006 and 2007.

The GSCC said it had no choice but to remover Ms Mukuru from the register on grounds of dishonesty and a serious misconduct of the social care code of practice.

It said: “The Committee concluded that the non-disclosure of the conviction both to the General Social Care Council and the Registrant’s employer was fundamentally incompatible with continuing to be a registered social care worker. The regulation of the social work profession requires that Registrants are honest and have integrity.

“The Committee considered removal was both fair and reasonable and was the only appropriate sanction in these circumstances.”

Having heard no testimony or mitigating circumstances, the council made their decision taking into account an earlier interview in July 2008 where she expressed remorse and the fact she had no previous black marks on her record.

But the committee said the importance of disclosure would have been clear throughout her training and were also concerned about Ms Mukuru's “lack of insight into the seriousness of her acts and omissions”, and that public confidence in the social work profession would be undermined if she was allowed to practise.

Mukuru, suspended on January 14, 2010, now has 28 days to appeal Friday's decision.

Details of the case have now been referred to the Independent Safeguard Authority (ISA) set up in 2009 to help prevent unsuitable people from working with children or vulnerable adults.

In a statement, Haringey Council said: “Kawira Mukuru was dismissed in November 2008 for gross misconduct after disciplinary investigations and due process.

“We will not comment further, especially while proceedings may be pending.”