Response from Lambeth Council

Following the publication of the story below (Did Lambeth Council put Hackney kids at risk?), Lambeth Council sent Blood and Property this statement:

“Brian Pead worked for Lambeth Council in the Open Centre for Vocational Studies from 1st August 2005 and was suspended on 8th December 2006. Following an investigation into complaints about his conduct he was dismissed on 31st July 2007

“None of the complaints made against Brian Pead during his time at the Council relate to inappropriate sexual activity. However, as with any employee, any formal allegations about an employee which have been found proven following a Council investigation would be stated in any future references."

Blood and Property was also asked to remove its reference to the Bexley Times article which Lambeth Council says is not true.

However, both The Bexley Times and Central News Agency said they had not heard anything from Lambeth Council about the claims made in their stories. My understanding is that if it was said in court, then people have a right to know that it was said.

It is clear from Lambeth Council's response that it does not accept the claim that it dismissed Brian Pead for masturbating in a theatre.

The Open (Learning) Centre for Vocational Studies is part of Lambeth's Children's and young people's service and Brian Pead was dismissed from his job there six months before he started work for Off Centre, a Hackney-based child counselling service.

Six months after that he was arrested in a police sting attempting to pay a 14-year-old girl for sex.

It would be useful to know what Lambeth Council did know about Brian Pead and whether this was passed on to his employers in Hackney - Off Centre - and whether they would have employed him if they had known these details. A director of Off Centre told Blood and Property that a different decision would have been likely if more information had been available.