A High Court
judge is to asked to look into social services and welfare experts
handling of cases involving Brentwood children, taken into Care or
put up for Adoption.
The news was announced during a closed Hearing at
Chelmsford County Court, at which moves to adopt a Brentwood
couple’s children, against the parents were being considered
A High Court
judge is to asked to look into social services and welfare experts
handling of cases involving Brentwood children, taken into Care or
put up for Adoption.
The news was
announced during a closed Hearing at Chelmsford County Court, at
which moves to adopt a Brentwood couple’s children, against the parents
were being considered.
It came days
after Police confirmed they would no look into allegations against
social workers and expert witnesses in such cases – unless a judge
specifically asked him to.
The
Brentwood couple, who cannot
be named for legal reasons, have been fighting social services over
the adoption of their son and daughter, ever since the children were
taken into Care, last October.
On Monday, the
couple were told their case and others would be brought before the
High Court Judge , sitting in the Chelmsford County Court, on July
6.
County officials
insist this is not significant and they say it is not unusual for
senior judges to travel from London to Chelmsford to hear welfare
cases.
But a spokesman
conceded: “As a High Court Judge is due to sit in Chelmsford in
Chelmsford in July to deal with a number of childcare cases, it has
been decided that the judge will also be asked to consider the
recent allegations made to the police.
Campaigning
parents wanted police to look at evidence given under oath in closed
Family Court Hearings to do with Care and Adoption.
Parents say in
these Hearings, they are not allowed to challenge claims made by
professionals, even when they feel the claims are
misleading.
Essex Police
argues that because family matters are heard in civil courts, it is
not allowed to intervene unless the courts ask it to. In a
letter to one of the families concerned, dated 8 June, Detective
Superintendent Simon Coxall of the force’s Crime Division wrote:
“Having considered all the circumstances as outlined to us, and
particularly the fat that the welfare of children is involved, we
feel that the most appropriate course of action is to refer the
concerns as raised, to the county court.
Set. Supt.
Coxall cites an earlier legal ruling which stated that , unless
police received direct Orders from a judge, they had to assume
perjury claims in Family Court Hearings were baseless.
Chris Smith, of
Essex support group, Parents
against Injustice, criticised Det. Supt Coxall’s
conclusion.
He said “The
parents have gone to the police with documentation and I don’t see
why we should have to go through all these problems to get the
Police to investigate.
“If you ran a
shop and you were the victim of a smash and grab, you would not have
to go to the courts with your case”.
A police
spokesman said the parents allegations were being dealt with in
accordance with force procedures, adding: “The civil courts
concerned will be advised of the allegations being made”.
END
Further
information that has now been received that has a relevance to the
above article|:
In the case of the Brentwood parents facing the ' Final
Hearing before Clearance for Adoption' on 6 July 2005, there has been a
significant development.
The Court Order has
identified that besides the drafting in of a High Court Judge in the
case,
" the Police ( Essex Police ) have made
the Court aware that this case ( Brentwood parents ) is one of a
number in which allegations have been made to Essex Police in
relation to irregularities on the part of the Local Authority in
Care Proceedings".
Please note, this is a COURT
ORDER!
I can also confirm that in the case of the other Brentwood mother
who has had 3 children taken into Care and 2 of them adopted, it was
planned for the 3rd child to be released for Adoption on 1 July 2005
(tomorrow). As a result of the 'Court Order referred to above, the
mothers solicitor has been informed that the Hearing has been
postponed and Detective Superintendent Simon Coxall has begun an
investigation in this case too.
Essex Police are now dealing with 6 cases in
which parents allege serious criminal offences have been committed
by social workers and paediatricians resulting in false allegation
made against parents. The parents will not stop their actions and
more cases will be presented to the Police, until there is a
determination by the police to charge those involved in the
documented criminal activities.
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