Government social welfare agency Appoġġ has been absolved over the case of two German children who were snatched from under its care and taken back to Germany last July.

The abduction took place through no fault of the agency but due to the “arrogant and unethical” behaviour of a German social worker, an independent inquiry has concluded.

The inquiry, headed by retired judge Philip Sciberras, had been appointed after a court harshly criticised Appoġġ over the incident, saying the agency was less able to take care of the children (who were under a care order) than the mothers themselves.

The case goes back to June when an emergency temporary order was issued on three German children after one of them, aged four, was found roaming in the fields near Marsalforn.

While they were under the care of Appoġġ, this boy, Jeremias, and his brother Jaydan, 2, the sons of Sabrina Albrecht, were taken abroad by German social workers without the agency’s knowledge.

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