A libel trial judge should not rely on any of the findings of a paediatrician who concluded children from a Newcastle nursery were sexually abused, the High Court was told yesterday.

Adrienne Page, for two former nursery workers, said Dr Camille San Lazaro made a number of admissions which cast "irredeemable doubt upon her conclusions".

"Her conduct in court and the state of her records make it dangerous for a court to draw any conclusions as to what she did or did not see," Miss Page said in her closing submissions.

The barrister represents Christopher Lillie, 37, and Dawn Reed, 31, who are suing Newcastle City Council and the four-member team it commissioned to investigate the city's Shieldfield nursery.

In its 1998 report, the team concluded the pair had sexually, physically and emotionally abused children from the nursery. Four years earlier, they were acquitted of indecently assaulting Shieldfield children.

Miss Page said Dr San Lazaro admitted her notes were unreliable and inconsistent.

Earlier, defence counsel Gordon Bishop said some criticisms could obviously be made of Dr San Lazaro and in particular of her record-keeping.

But he urged the judge to remember that she "does have very great experience of this work and is highly regarded".

He said the suggestion she may not have known what she was looking at when she examined the children was "fanciful".

The hearing continues.