A BRENT social worker who threw a fan at a vulnerable child has been struck off.

Robert Lennox Clarke was arrested after the attack left bruises on his victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, in July, 2009.

The minor, who was not a service user, and three other children had to be put on a protection plan with social workers in Newham as a result of the attack.

The General Social Care Council (GSCC) found that “the degree of violence cannot be regarded as minimal given the throwing of the fan and the bruising caused as a result of the assault.”

Clarke was cautioned by police two months later but tried to continue working in the field with an agency.

He used a reference given by a colleague rather than his manager, who would have flagged up the offence.

When he first applied for the job with Brent Council, in December, 2007, he used his partner as a reference but did not tell bosses they were in a relationship and hid the fact she did not work in social care.

Much of the reference she gave had been written by Clarke, who has no relevant history of this kind of behaviour, the GSCC heard.

The organisation's committee was told he has shown “a degree of insight into his behaviour as time has passed”.

The hearing was held from Monday last week to Wednesday.