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- The father of the two girls, one of whom was in voluntary care, the other living with the mother, had made serious and unfounded allegations against the mother and HHJ Tolson QC. He was now making multiple applications for permission to appeal. Knowles J decided that all the applications were without merit, and none should be granted. He made an extended civil restraint order preventing the father from making any further applications. Judgment, 08/07/2019, free
- The father sought permission to appeal against a decision with findings of fact that he had demonstrated controlling and coercive behaviour, undermining and assaulting the mother. Williams J was satisfied that HHJ Plunkett was justified in reaching the conclusions that he did. The father's acquittal for assault in the Crown Court was not inconsistent with the finding on the balance of probabilities that he had pushed the mother to the ground. The father was not focusing on his son's best interests. There was no merit in any of the grounds of appeal, and permission to appeal was refused. Judgment, 22/06/2019, free
- Risk assessment is inadequate and victims are told to limit number of allegations, letter to MoJ states News, 29/05/2019, free
- The father had difficulties with anger management, volatility and aggression. The circuit judge had made a child arrangements order, including orders for supervised contact, non-molestation and prohibited steps, against which the father had, following a course of therapy, unsuccessfully appealed. He now appealed with regard to the fairness of those hearings. Baker LJ found that there had been no indication to the father, a litigant in person, that the court would be making orders in respect of his future contact or concluding the proceedings. The summary dismissal of his appeal had also been wrong. The two hearings together represented an unwarranted infringement of his rights to a fair hearing. Peter Jackson LJ agreed, and the matter was remitted for a further hearing. Judgment, 28/05/2019, free
- The father appealed against an order which prevented him from bringing further applications for contact or residence for three years. The judge had found that the children would suffer emotional harm if required to have direct contact with the father, who had completely lost sight of their welfare. Longmore, Peter Jackson and Coulson LJJ dismissed the appeal. Judgment, 09/04/2019, free
- The father of a twenty-one-year-old woman, who had served time in prison for his behaviour towards the mother, sought to vary a non-molestation order that prevented him contacting the daughter. The daughter was opposed to any contact, other than through her solicitors. Williams J saw no merit at all in the application. Judgment, 09/04/2019, free
- Mother's application to appeal a judgment in which she had alleged domestic violence by the father was dismissed. Judgment, 14/03/2019, free
- Draft Bill build on views sought from a consultation in 2018 and will introduce a statutory definition of domestic abuse for the first time News, 21/01/2019, free
- Father was appealing against 2 decisions: an order that a fact-finding hearing should be listed to deal with alleged domestic abuse and a refusal by the judge to make an order for interim contact while awaiting the fact-finding hearing. The judge in this case provides helpful guidance as to what Practice Direction 12J does, and doesn't, mean. Appeal dismissed on both grounds, although the judge did endorse the father's dismay at the length of time that he will have to await the determination of these issues. Judgment, 10/12/2018, free
- Mother's appeal against findings made in a judgment on cross-allegations of domestic abuse arising in proceedings for a child arrangements order under s.8 of the Children Act. Appeal dismissed. Judgment, 25/10/2018, free