A SERIES of errors by social services and health staff allowed a five-month-old baby to stay with her violent father and incompetent mother before she was shaken to death, an independent review found today.

Alisha Allen was considered at risk by officials in Sunderland, but when her parents moved to neighbouring County Durham, the family were downgraded to in need.

Alisha was killed by her bullying father, Gary Allen, 26, in January last year, and he was sentenced to five years in prison after admitting manslaughter at Newcastle Crown Court, on the grounds that he momentarily lost his temper.

Alisha's mother, Claire Morton, 31, received a 12-month sentence, suspended for two years, for causing or allowing the death of a child.

A Serious Case Review was launched which found there was poor assessment, planning and information-sharing by the agencies which was made worse by gaps in supervision and case management.

The review concluded: "There was no one failing in this case that can conclusively be said to have been the major factor that failed to protect Alisha, rather a series of cumulative errors that were either not picked up or not pro-actively addressed.

"The independent review looked at the childrens services departments at Durham County Council and Sunderland City Council, and health services provided by the City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Trust and Sunderland Primary Care Trust."

Today's report followed a similar top-level review into the mishandling of the Baby P case in Haringey, north London, and questions over social services dealings with Shannon Matthews family in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire.

Even before she was born, Alisha was on the at risk register because her mother was unable to cope.

Morton and Allen moved two miles from Penshaw, Wearside, to Bournmoor, County Durham, when their baby was two months old.

That meant transferring from Sunderland City Council's social services to those run by Durham County Council.

When he sentenced the pair in September, Judge David Hodson told them: "This case, sadly, is yet another example of the tragic death of a baby in circumstances where there have been undoubted failings within two social services departments."

He added: "It can fairly be observed that here, certainly, were two people who needed as much help as they could be given by social services and the various agencies and it has to be said you did not receive that necessary help.

"If you had, this tragic case might have been avoided.

"But again, it has to be said, the direct responsibility for Alisha's death rests with you two defendants and no-one else."

Gail Hopper, chair of Durham Local Safeguarding Children Board, said recommendations will be acted on to improve how cases are managed and also transferred between authorities.

She added: "All of the agencies involved are extremely sorry about the death of Alisha and very much regret that Alisha and her family did not receive the level of support they needed.

"All the recommendations of the Serious Case Review have been accepted and we are ensuring that they are robustly implemented.

"We are determined that we will continue to improve safeguarding practice within and across agencies."

Allen's sickening abuse was outlined in court, alongside Morton's inability to stand up to him.

Since Alisha's death, the couple have had another child, which has been taken into care, and Morton is due to give birth at any time to a child by another man.

Allen has an IQ of just 70, while Morton is severely retarded, the court heard.

Alisha's father shook the baby when her cries woke him up at their home in Bournmoor one Sunday morning.

She suffered irreversible brain damage and died in hospital days later.

Paul Sloan QC, prosecuting, said neither defendant understood parenting.

Both insisted Alisha would deliberately scream in Claire's ear, pull her ears and headbutt her in order to annoy and hurt Claire, but that she would know better than to do that with Gary.

Likewise, Alisha would refuse to take her feed just to annoy them both.

During Alisha's short life, Allen refused to change her nappies or bathe her, because he believed it was inappropriate for a man.

He would shout at the baby to shut up if she cried, and on one occasion laughed as he sounded a horn in her ear which woke her up.

Allen believed the baby was aggressive because on occasion she had pulled her mothers hair and bitten her, the court heard.

At the age of two months, Alisha was the subject of a Child Protection Case Conference in Chester-le-Street, the court heard.

Mr Sloan said: "At that case conference, it was decided that Alisha's name should not be placed on the Child Protection Register but rather she should be dealt with as a child in need, with the family being offered support and advice."