Mother jailed for harming baby hits out at ‘unjust’ appeal ruling – The Guardian

‘A mother jailed for harming her baby has accused the courts of “injustice” after judges accepted she was a victim of abuse but ruled against an application for an appeal against her conviction made on the grounds that her violent ex-partner coerced her to lie at her trial.’

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The Guardian, 1st December 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Tony’s Law: Plans for tougher child abuse sentences confirmed – BBC News

‘Child abusers in England and Wales could face life in jail under tougher sentencing plans unveiled by ministers.’

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BBC News, 30th November 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Tougher penalties for child cruelty through ‘Tony’s Law’ – Ministry of Justice

Posted November 30th, 2021 in bills, child abuse, child cruelty, news, press releases, sentencing by tracey

‘Child abusers will face more time behind bars after the Government confirmed plans to increase the maximum penalties for a range of cruelty offences.’

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Ministry of Justice, 30th November 2021

Source: www.gov.uk

‘Failure to remove’ claims in the High Court – Local Government Lawyer

‘Paul Stagg looks at the lessons from an important High Court ruling on ‘failure to remove’ claims.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 8th November 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Widnes baby death: Father guilty of son’s murder – BBC News

‘The father of a baby boy who died after suffering “horrific” head injuries has been found guilty of his murder.’

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BBC News, 26th October 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

British mother sexually abused her children and urinated in their drinks, court hears – The Independent

‘A British mum who sexually abused her children and even urinated in their drinks was caught by the FBI, a court heard.’

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The Independent, 6th September 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Revocation of adoption orders – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Court of Appeal recently heard an appeal against an order dismissing an application by the birth mother of three children to revoke an adoption order made in respect of those children. Fran Massarella looks at the outcome.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 3rd September 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

The resolutions approach: misunderstood and under-used – Family Law Week

‘Patrick Gilmore, barrister of Deans Court Chambers, describes how the resolutions approach might assist cases in which a parent denies the harm caused to a child.’

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Family Law Week, 10th August 2021

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Judge praises council for “brave but proper decision” to end care proceedings – Local Government Lawyer

‘A Family Court judge has praised the London Borough of Bromley for its “brave but proper decision” to end care proceedings in case where a child was suspected to have suffered deliberate injury but was later found not to.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 22nd July 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Family Court judge issues ruling to highlight successful use of “Resolutions Model” – Local Government Lawyer

‘A mother and daughter have been reunited under the rarely used ‘Resolutions Model’ by the Family Court.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 8th July 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Misdiagnosis case update – Transparency Project

‘The purpose of this judgment is to approve and formalise the local authority’s decision to withdraw its application for care orders, following receipt of medical evidence that the baby did not suffer any non-accidental injury. As the judge points out, the local authority acted correctly in taking proceedings when it did, on the basis of earlier medical evidence (now known to be mistaken), and has also acted correctly in asking the court to agree to end the proceedings on the basis of the new, more specialist, evidence.’

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Transparency Project, 18th May 2021

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

F (A Child : Adjournment) [2021] EWCA Civ 469 – Transparency Project

‘This case is about a little boy, J, who was approaching three years of age at the time the decision was made. His mother was 19 when J was born and she was living with J’s father. The local authority issued care proceedings in relation to J in August 2018. The proceedings began as J suffered a number of injuries whilst he was in the care of his mother and a Mr K. At a hearing before His Honour Judge Jack (‘the Judge’) findings were made that the mother had suffered serious abuse at the hands of J’s father.’

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Transparency Project, 12th April 2021

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

Cornish grandmother of drowned baby admits cruelty – BBC News

‘The grandmother of a baby who drowned in a bath while she was out of the room has admitted child cruelty.’

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BBC News, 10th November 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Bamford baby death: Father jailed for killing two-month-old son – BBC News

‘A father has been jailed for nine years for killing his baby son by shaking him, causing fatal head injuries.’

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BBC News, 13th October 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Should Final Hearing continue remotely? Judgment of Lieven J [2020] EWHC 1086 (Fam) – Broadway House Chambers

‘ The case deals with whether to proceed with lay evidence remotely or to adjourn part heard having heard the medical evidence over a period of 5 days via Zoom. The case concerns an application for a care order for a 4 year child. In April 2019, his two month old sister died at home. The post mortem established that his sister had sustained 65 fractures to her body as well as brain injuries. As a result the child was made the subject of an interim care order in April 2019.’

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Broadway House Chambers, 14th May 2020

Source: broadwayhouse.co.uk

A timely and important decision on remote hearings in the family courts – Re P: (A Child Remote Hearings) (2020) EWFC 32 – Garden Court Chambers

‘This is a serious FII case, and concerned care proceedings involving a 7 year old child. It was alleged that the mother had falsely made a number of damaging claims that her child was suffering from a myriad serious ailments and health conditions. This was all hotly disputed by the mother, so the case was fully contested. It had been fixed several months previously for a 15 days fact finding and disposal hearing before a Judge at Guildford Law Courts. Following the lockdown, the Judge had decided the case would proceed as a remote hearing using the Skype video platform.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 22nd April 2020

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk

P (A Child: Remote Hearing) (Rev 3) [2020] EWFC 32: When is remote justice not justice? – Transparency Project

‘Re P (A Child: Remote Hearing) (Rev 3) [2020] EWFC 32 is a decision of the President of the Family Division and Head of Family Justice, Sir Andrew McFarlane, about whether or not a 15 day trial should go ahead remotely. The trial was set down within care proceedings to determine very serious allegations that the mother had harmed her seven-year-old daughter by fabricating or inducing illness (known in the trade as FII).’

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Transparency Project, 23rd April 2020

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

McFarlane: Remote hearing on future of child a step too far – Legal Futures

‘It is not appropriate for a 15-day hearing into whether a mother has harmed her seven-year-old daughter to be held remotely, the president of the Family Court has ruled.’

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Legal Futures, 22nd April 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Court of Appeal upholds order for disclosure to police of documents filed in care proceedings – Local Government Lawyer

Posted April 9th, 2020 in appeals, care orders, child cruelty, children, disclosure, documents, families, news by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has rejected a father’s appeal against an order for the disclosure of certain documents filed in childcare proceedings.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 7th April 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

High Court judge highlights clash between diplomatic immunity and child protection – Local Government Lawyer

‘A Family Court case has highlighted a “virtually insoluble dilemma” between diplomatic immunity and child protection, leading Mr Justice Mostyn to call for an amendment to the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 26th March 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk