Rebecca Minnock Case

[mikey4444]

It has just been announced that a family friend, Andrew Butt has been sentenced to 28 days for lying to the Court. Minnock's Mother was prevented from leaving the Court today and has now been sentenced to 10 days in jail for her part in the lying :

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-33109219

I think that everybody who purports to want the best for the child should stop interfering, stop faffing about and tell the truth with immediate effect, before more potential harm is done to this child.

[anotheoldgit]

mikey4444

/// I am somewhat uneasy about the newspapers role in all of this. ///

What are you trying to say mikey, that this case should not have been reported?

[mikey4444]

Ladybirder....I am with you 100% in this.

Originally, I did feel some sympathy for Minnock, on a humanitarian basis. But now that I know more details, I feel that as soon as Ethan can be given back to his Dad, and the both of them move as far away as possible from Minnock and her family, the better.

If she gets a supervised visit, once a month, after all this, she will very lucky indeed.

[ladybirder]

I have stated in the post above yours AOG I have absolutely no sympathy for her at all.

[mikey4444]

No AOG, I'm not. The only reason that we are aware of all this is because the Judge lifted reporting restrictions. If the DM and other papers have been instrumental in getting Minnock to give herself up, than all to the good.

But I am unpersuaded that they couldn't have passed on the info they had to the Police at an earlier stage.

[Quoi]

I think its about time some of this was made more public.

[mikey4444]

Quoi....if you read the post that Mush gave us yesterday, you will find lots of detail there.

[Quoi]

Thanks mike - thats what prompted me to add my little bit earlier.
It is absolutely unbelievable what mothers get away with in these cases and its no wonder that men often give up part way through when you look at the costs and the mental marathon (quoted by the BBC)

[ladybirder]

Mikey if you read Quoi's previous post you will see he must have read the links.
Quoi you have my sympathy, I hope it works out.

[naomi24]

I haven't got time to read Mushroom's link thoroughly - I'm to and fro between jobs and keyboard. I know she's lied to the court, but can someone provide a short explanation of what she's done that puts her child in danger please.

[Quoi]

Thanks Ladybirder. My sons wallet is way past £10,000 lighter & completely unnecessary if the mum had co-operated from the beginning.

[Quoi]

Naomi - I can.... it is emotional damage and influence of a young child - coercion. It was judged by a phsychiatrist and social worker - these things are investigated to death.
In my case the lad couldnt talk the last time my son saw him - still at the pointing stage. but now he apparrently says lots of bad things against his father - how did that happen & is it good for the child?

[mikey4444]

Quio....yes you have my sympathy as well ....let us know how it turns out please. Fingers crossed !

I wonder if the same sympathy would be handed out to this little boys Dad, if he was the one that had run off ? In nearly all cases, its the Mum that is awarded custody after all.

[Prudie]

Maybe that's because the number of absent fathers by choice has no comparison with the number of absent mothers by choice. Kind of sets a precedent to judge by.

[Cloverjo]

Quoi, I hope it works out for you and your grandson. It must be heartbreaking.

I had a scare when my son's dad took him out of nursery without my permission and threatened to take him away and not let me see him again.

I still can't imagine quite how painful this situation can be.

[jennyjoan]

I don't know what the minnock mother has done but what about the little girl given to the father maybe last month and he killed her.

[Peter Pedant]

// What are you trying to say mikey, that this case should not have been reported?//

no I think the Lord Chief Justice does

most family court cases are anonymised and effectively secret ( no details that identifies the child makes the case pretty bland )

there is a link later to the court judgment - above
where Wildblood explains why they have lifted anonymity

You are not the first to say the family courts should be more open

[Peter Pedant]

// I don't know what the minnock mother has done but what about the little girl given to the father maybe last month and he killed her.//

is completely irrelevant to the current legal case jay jay

The minnock has been saying the father has been abusing the child
and even the other "victims" are saying no he didnt
and she has been saying no they were coached to say that
and the court has been wondering if there HAS been coaching.... ( to say the father was abusing et c etc )

[New Judge]

All this somewhat misses the point.

Family proceedings involving the question of custody are investigated and pawed over ad infinitum. That's whay they take so long - some would say excessively long. This case has gone through that process and a decision has been made. All the details are not known and nor should they be.

What is known is that the mother has wilfully defied the orders of the court regarding that decision and absented herself along with the child. She was aided in this by the grandmother and Mr Butt. Those two have been punished for their contempt. Ms Minnock, it seems, will now be getting "all the support she needs". In fact she needs prosecuting.

[mushroom25]

//I am somewhat uneasy about the newspapers role in all of this.//

so am I. The DM's role in this - in particular the manner in which she presented herself to the authorities - sounds like they've negotiated a nice little exclusive with the mother.

[jim360]

So far as I could tell the Judge involved in this case has been busy praising the media coverage so far, rather than condemning it.