Exeter County Court
A local council has won a secret trial after being sued for discrimination by a father under the Human Rights Act.
The father, whom we cannot name, is opposed to same-sex marriage and abortion and is suing Cornwall Council after its social services department intervened to prevent contact between him and his son, now five.
He alleges that they discriminated against him on the grounds of his beliefs after a social worker interrogated him about his opposition to abortion and gay-marriage.
COURT HEARING OUTCOME
A court hearing held on 23rd October decided that the case should be held at its substantive hearing in December in secret rather than in open court. Cornwall Council wanted the hearing to be in secret. The father, known to this ministry, wanted it to be heard in the open, so that the media, including Christian Voice, could report on it.
The father says the social worker voiced ‘concerns’ to do with his faith that were ‘insurmountable’ and told him that because of his unacceptable ‘beliefs’, openly posted on a blog, it was the social worker’s ‘duty’ to ensure that he never saw his son again. He has not seen his son for two and a half years.
The father, who is separated from the child’s mother, initially referred his son to social services because of concerns that the mother was not keeping to a written agreement about contact.
PUBLIC SUPPORT
At previous hearings the father defeated two applications to strike out his claim, which began in March 2014, and two applications for summary judgment against him.
The father told Christian Voice: ‘Whether you agree with the social worker’s decision or not, it is surely wrong that such an important issue as this should be decided in a secret trial. The issue to be decided is whether social workers should be allowed to deprive a child of one of his parents because that parent holds strong moral Christian beliefs which differ from those of the Government.’
There was a good degree of support from the public, particularly from the claimant’s church.
JUDGE CONSIDERED REPRESENTATIONS
The circuit judge hearing the application was His Honour Judge Cotter QC. HHJ Cotter heard, considered, then dismissed representations from the media.
READ: Exod 23:6; Lev 19:15; Deut 1:17; 1Kings 3:28; 1Chron 18:14; Job 37:23; Psalm 82:3, 89:14; Prov 31:4-5; Isa 59:4,14; Ezek 45:9; John 7:24; Acts 23:35; Romans 13:4; Rev 20:4.
PRAY: that justice may be done and may be seen to be done in this case. Pray also for wisdom for the father and for Christian Voice in the matter of an appeal.
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