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England and Wales High Court (Family Division) Decisions |
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You are here: BAILII >> Databases >> England and Wales High Court (Family Division) Decisions >> A Father v A Mother & Anor [2023] EWHC 3068 (Fam) (30 November 2023) URL: http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Fam/2023/3068.html Cite as: [2023] EWHC 3068 (Fam) |
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FAMILY DIVISION
Strand, London, WC2A 2LL |
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B e f o r e :
____________________
A FATHER |
Applicant |
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- and - |
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A MOTHER -and- A (a minor, by her Guardian) |
1st Respondent 2nd Respondent |
____________________
The 1st Respondent mother appeared in person
Carolyn Jones (instructed by McGuinness Legal) for the 2nd Respondent
Suzanne Martin
Simon Israel
Hannah Summers
(accredited journalists)
all appeared in person
Hearing date: 6th November 2023
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Crown Copyright ©
Mrs Justice Judd :
The background
Events since the abduction
The law
"My overall conclusion is that the time has come for accredited media representatives and legal bloggers to be able, not only to attend and observe family court hearings, but also to report publicly on what they see and hear. Reporting must be subject to very clear rules to maintain both the anonymity of the children and family members who are before the court, and confidentiality with respect to intimate details of their private lives. Openness and confidentiality are not irreconcilable, and each is achievable. The aim is to enhance public confidence significantly, whilst at the same time firmly protecting continuing confidentiality".
"a. The name or date of birth of any subject child in the case;
b. The name of any parent or family member who is a party or who is mentioned in the case, or whose name may lead to the child(ren) being identified;
c. The name of any person who is a party to, or intervening in, the proceedings;
d. The address of any child or family member;
e. The name or address of any foster carer;
f. The school/hospital/placement name or address, or any identifying features of a school of the child;
g. Photographs or images of the child, their parents, carer or any other identifying person, or any of the locations specified above in conjunction with other information relating to the proceedings;
h. The names of any medical professional who is or has been treating any of the children or family member;
i. In cases involving alleged sexual abuse, the details of such alleged abuse;
j. Any other information likely to identify the child as a subject child or former subject child."
"a. The local authority/authorities involved in the proceedings.
b. The director and assistant director of Children's Services within the LA (but usually not the social workers working directly with the family, including the Team Manager, unless the Court so orders);
c. Senior personnel at Cafcass but not normally the Guardian named in the case.
d. Any NHS Trust;
e. Court appointed experts;
f. Legal representatives and judges;
g. Anyone else named in a published judgment."
"(2) No person shall publish to the public at large or any section of the public any material which is intended, or likely, to identify—
(a) any child as being involved in any proceedings before the High Court, a county court or a magistrates' court in which any power under this Act or the Adoption and Children Act 2002 may be exercised by the court with respect to that or any other child; or
(b) an address or school as being that of a child involved in any such proceedings."
Contravention of these requirements is a criminal offence but by s 97(4):
"(4) The court or the Lord Chancellor may, if satisfied that the welfare of the child requires it and, in the case of the Lord Chancellor, if the Lord Chief Justice agrees, by order dispense with the requirements of subsection (2) to such extent as may be specified in the order."
"The interplay between articles 8 and 10 has been illuminated by the opinions in the House of Lords in Campbell v MGN Ltd [2004] UKHL 2WLR 1232. For present purposes the decision of the House on the facts of Campbell and the differences between the majority and the minority are not material. What does, however, emerge clearly from the opinions are four propositions. First, neither article has as such precedence over the other. Secondly, where the values under the two articles are in conflict, an intense focus on the comparative importance of the specific rights being claimed in the individual case is necessary. Thirdly, the justifications for interfering with or restricting each right must be taken into account. Finally, the proportionality test must be applied to each. For convenience I will call this the ultimate balancing test".
The parties' respective cases
My decision