S v F & Anor

This judgment was handed down remotely at 10.30am on 9 th May 2023 by circulation to the parties or their representatives by e-mail and by release to the National Archives.

This judgment was delivered in private.�� The judge has given leave for this version of the judgment to be published on condition that (irrespective of what is contained in the judgment) in any published version of the judgment the anonymity of the children and members of their family must be strictly preserved.�� All persons, including representatives of the media, must ensure that this condition is strictly complied with.�� Failure to do so will be a contempt of court.

      This is an application by a father to spend time with his son made under s.8 �Children Act 1989.� The child E was born in August 2017 in Pakistan. The child�s parents are Mrs A and Mr F and I shall refer to them as the mother and the father.

      The mother, a Pakistani national now lives in this jurisdiction with E and they have each acquired been granted asylum for five years.� She is represented at this hearing by Ms Najma.� The father, who has lived in this jurisdiction in the past has now returned to in Pakistan and he acts in person.� The child is represented by his Guardian Ms Mitchell and counsel Mr Johnson.�

      I have heard this case over 4 days.� I have read all the evidence in the bundle and I have heard the evidence of the father, the mother, Dr Anderson and the Guardian.� I have been greatly assisted by detailed written and oral submissions from each party and I am grateful to counsel and to the father for the way in which the hearing has been conducted.