Regular training sessions for judges and magistrates should be mandatory, as a Lords amendment I helped draft lays out
The central family court, London. ‘Hearings are held behind closed doors, safely protected from public scrutiny and the kind of transparency almost every other facet of our justice system is subject to.’ Photograph: Nick Ansell/PA
The central family court, London. ‘Hearings are held behind closed doors, safely protected from public scrutiny and the kind of transparency almost every other facet of our justice system is subject to.’ Photograph: Nick Ansell/PA
Sat 3 Apr 2021 05.00 EDT
Last modified on Sat 3 Apr 2021 09.07 EDT
“In this appeal, as in other cases, the real question is not limited to what happened, but whether those events were abuse themselves and/or whether there is sufficient evidence of patterns of behaviour which is demonstrative of an abusive relationship,” Hames told appeal judges Sir Andrew McFarlane, Lady King and Lord Holroyde in a written case outline.
Hames said Tolson had commented that incidents of note were “insignificant in themselves” and ignored that victims of abuse do not always recognise themselves as victims and as a result may not report abuse to the authorities.
On behalf of the respondent, barrister Janet Bazley QC highlighted “extravagant claims” made by the mother including that the father had a personality disorder and that one of his older children was a risk to their child.