THE leader of Harrow Council has defended children's social services in the borough following an outburst in court by one of its social workers.

National newspapers this week contained reports of Liz Jones, a Harrow Council social worker in her 30s, launching an expletive-laden tirade against Judge Henry Blacksell QC as he sentenced Harry Bees and Aaron Dennis at Middlesex Guildhall Crown Court on Tuesday.

The two 17-year-olds were members of the notorious "KG Tribe", a steaming gang police believe robbed between 150 and 200 people on and off London Underground, and whose leaders were convicted of the murder of aspiring city lawyer Tom ap Rhys Price last year.

Bees, 17, of Parkthorne Drive, Harrow, was convicted of conspiracy to rob between December 18, 2005 and January 15 last year and two counts of wounding with intent on January 11 and 14, 2006. Dennis, 17, of Hindes Road, Harrow, admitted to conspiracy to rob and a spate of wounding offences.

Both Bees and Dennis received indeterminate sentences and were told on Tuesday that they must serve a minimum of five years.

Mrs Jones was the social worker for both of the young criminals who had met and were arrested together at a care home in central Harrow.

Mrs Jones clambered across three rows of desks to the disbelief of a packed courtroom and screamed abuse at Judge Blacksell.

Two police officers and a host of officials at the crown court rushed between her and Judge Blacksell as the social worker shouted - in an apparent reference to last week's murder of 16-year-old Kodjo Yenga - saying: "That boy who was lying on the floor dying - they stabbed him to death.

"Do you know what they were shouting? Kill him, kill him'."

Judge Blacksell tried to calm her down but the woman yelled: "My children, f**k the lot of you.

"For every child, every black boy that got shot by gangs - the kids jailed in America - You will f***in' listen to me - you'll have to f***in' kill me to get me off this stand."

As relatives of the six defendants called for her to get out, she continued: "You will hear me," to which the judge replied: "I have heard you."

As she was restrained by staff who tried to pull her from the witness box, she demanded: "Get away, get back."

Before she was led from the court she screamed: "Stand up for every f***in' black kid shot or jailed in America.

"You bastards, you've let your f***in' black people down."

The judge asked who she was and Stan Rice, defence barrister for Bees, said she was a social worker for his client and for Dennis. Mr Rice added: "She's been very helpful during the case and we are very surprised by her actions this morning."

Councillor Chris Mote, leader of Harrow Council, said: "She has been an exemplary employee and we will give her every help that we can while she is off."

Cllr Mote added: "While people are under stress within the workplace there may be other stress in other places that we do not know about."

He admitted the council service had made mistakes in the past but added: "We have a good service. Yes, it is stretched, but it is good with a good track record and good staff."

Peter Brown, a spokesman for Harrow Council, said: "Harrow Council will support all employees involved in this difficult and stressful case, including the social worker involved in Tuesday's incident.

"It is not the council's policy to discuss individual employees, but on this occasion we would like to stress that the employee involved in the court incident has not been dismissed and nor is she subject to any disciplinary or other procedures."

Mrs Jones voluntarily admitted herself to St Thomas's Hospital for psychiatric treatment and was not arrested.

Other gang members sentenced on Monday and Tuesday were Toyan Vassall, of Culver Grove, Stanmore, Kariem Al-Ebadi, of Willesden Lane, Willesden, Sebastien Chidi, of St Luke's Mews, Notting Hill, and Ishmael Cowell, of Sandhurst Avenue, Harrow.

Vassall, Al-Ebadi and Cowell were each convicted of conspiracy to rob between December 18, 2005 and January 15 last year.

Vassall was also convicted of wounding Zilinas Jazdauska with intent on December 23, 2005.

Cowell was found guilty of wounding with intent on January 11.

Chidi admitted conspiracy to rob and a spate of wounding offences.

They were all ordered to serve at least five years.