Re AB (fact finding) [2016] EWFC B57 (8 July 2016)
The parents were accused of shaken baby syndrome. The judge concluded that whilst the father had caused the injuries, he had done so in a manner that was unintentional. The child is now residing at home with both parents after a period of risk assessment. Read the full judgement at http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWFC/OJ/2016/B57.html
Re W
The parents were accused of shaken baby syndrome when the baby collapsed at home in the father’s care. The mother was swiftly removed from the pool of perpetrators and the children returned to her care. The father joined them after a period of assessment.
Re K
Having been accused of shaking their child, the father was found to have caused the injuries within a resuscitative shake. After a brief period of therapeutic work with the family, the children returned home.
R (fact finding re-opened) [2016] EWFC B14 (18 March 2016)
and
R (Fact Finding), Re [2015] EWFC B95 (15 July 2015)
These two judgments relate to a case involving extensive fracturing and bruising to an infant. The mother was eventually cleared of causing the injuries.
Read the full judgements at http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWFC/OJ/2016/B14.html and http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWFC/OJ/2015/B95.html
Re D
The parents were accused of shaking their baby who had the triad of injuries often associated with shaking. After exploration of the medical evidence with five medical experts and a 13 day fact finding hearing the parents were cleared.
Re B
The parents were accused of shaking their youngest child who was found to have subdural and retinal haemorrhaging. The chid was also noted to have benign enlarged subarachnoid spaces (BESS). The experts all agreed that on balance there was a chronic subdural haemorrhage and birth could not be excluded as a cause of this. Further, that the BESS could predispose to subdural bleeding following a minor incident and subsequently the acute blood was likely to be the result of the child falling over. Subsequently, the local authority sought to withdraw their applications for care orders.
Re S
We successfully defended the mother against allegations of shaken baby syndrome. She was exonerated of causing harm to her child and returned to live with the child immediately whilst father underwent risk assessment.
Re L, K & J [2016] EWFC 12
This 15 day fact finding hearing centred on head injuries to an infant. Due to the number of people that had cared for the child, there were various intervenors including three children who had to give evidence and have legal representation.
Read the full judgement at http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWFC/HCJ/2016/12.html
Re B2 (2016)
Both parents were accused of shaking one of their children after intracranial injuries were found. We represented the mother who was cleared of any wrongdoing.
Re A (2016)
I represented a mother in proceedings relating to her son. The father had had an accident with the children causing a femoral fracture. Further investigations revealed two other fractures. After a fact finding hearing the mother was removed from the pool of perpetrators. The father underwent assessment and their son was returned to their joint care.
Re R (2016)
This mother was accused of causing an old and a new fracture to her son’s arm. The new fracture was explained by an accident at home but the mother could not account for the old fracture. After some robust exploration of the medical evidence the expert radiologist said there was no old fracture and the local authority withdrew their applications for care orders.
Re H (2016)
I represented a father in care proceedings involving his two young children. The youngest had been found to have several rib fractures as well as bruising. After exploration of the medical evidence and an in-depth parenting assessment the children were returned to their parent’s care.