AS THE family of toddler Jason Dorricott try to come to terms with his death the Daily Echo can today reveal the tragic events that scarred his short life.

Last night social services chiefs maintained there was little more they could have done to have helped the boy.

Jason died in November last year - nine months after he was taken off the social services at risk register.

Just 24 hours before he was rushed into hospital with fatal injuries his mum, Tracey Wheeler, received a social services letter stating her concerns that Jason was being abused were unfounded.

It added that bruises and bumps on his body were "accidental'' and they "would be taking no further action''.

A post-mortem revealed he died of swelling to the brain and 12 doctors could not agree whether it was the result of epilepsy or another injury.

The examination revealed Jason had 17 external injuries to his body.

Yesterday his dad Mark, 28, was cleared by a Winchester Crown Court jury of three cruelty charges towards the child.

His father's former lover, Jackie Ham, 35, has admitted two allegations of cruelty by punching him and smacking him on the head.

It was revealed that Southampton social services did not know that 12 years ago Ham had pleaded with its Hampshire counterparts to take another child out of her care because she feared she may hurt it.

A full independent inquiry has been launched to see if lessons can be learned from Jason's death. Social services has promised to abide by any recommendations. It, and other agencies, have already carried out an internal inquiry.

Southampton social services boss Dr John Beer, said: "If we had known about how the injuries happened I do not know if this would have been enough to trigger a shift from the view that this was an accident-prone child of these parents as we know them, to one that would make us able to say, 'this child was likely to die'."

Because of inadequacies in the filing system social workers did not know during Jason's lifetime that Ham had alerted authorities as long ago as 1987 that she was capable of hurting a small child. This information wasn't available because it had been filed by Hampshire County Council - then in charge of social services in the city - under a different surname to Ham's.

But Dr Beer added: "I can't possibly accept a terrible mistake was made over this.

"Had we known of the earlier incident we would have noted it, but I doubt if we would have seen it as enough to keep Jason on the child protection register. The view of the conference which took him off the register was that she Ham seemed to be a positive influence on Jason.

"Each time Jason was checked he appeared all right - that is the most worrying aspect of all this."

He denied the system had failed Jason and added: "You can never remove the risk entirely."

But Jason's family believe more could have been done by the authorities and are demanding a full explanation.

Grandmother Jean, 47, said: "My little grandson is laying in a grave and it seems that has been forgotten.

"He was a boy just one week from his third birthday and his life was snatched away.

"Justice for Jason is the least we can give him. "He was beaten and abused and died before he even had chance to live his life.

"I will be writing to my local MP, and Tony Blair, because we should not still be left with so many questions after a court case.

"He was a baby and no one protected him.''

For a full, in-depth report on the Jason Dorricott case see tonight's Daily Echo.

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