A (A Boy), Re

Dr Charlotte Proudman instructed by Ms M Chhina of Morgan Wiseman Solicitors for the Mother

       This court is once more concerned with the welfare of a little boy, A, who is 4 years of age. This is the second judgment I have written in respect of A with my earlier judgment being handed down on 11 September 2023. His parents are the Applicant Father and the Respondent Mother. On the 8 th August 2023, I allowed an appeal by the Mother against findings of fact made by District Judge Lindsay after a fact-finding hearing earlier this year. I directed a re-trial to take place before myself on 30 TH October 2023 for 5 days [1] .

       Any consideration of this ruling on interim contact should take into account the written judgment which I circulated earlier this week in relation to the grounds upon which the District Judge's ruling was set aside. The Father has however, reflected upon some aspects of the decision in the lower court and has now made some admissions in respect of his conduct, which he accepts amounts to domestic abuse. I set out below the matters which he has now admitted in a recent statement:

i)                     Leaving chocolates on Mother's bedroom pillow when accessing her room without permission during a contact period;

ii)                    Using bodycam on 3 separate occasions at contact handovers;