Paedophiles To Lose Parental Rights Under New Law

It has taken them around twenty-years to create this new rule.

Abstract from ghe Independent Newspaper on Wednesday 17 April 2024, story by George Lithgow.

Under current rules, offenders may still have a right to be included when making important decisions about their children’s education, health and travel.

Labour MP Harriet Harman tabled an amendment to upcoming legislation which has been backed by the Lord Chancellor – who is responsible for the administration of the courts.

The new law will cover only the most serious sexual offence, rape of a child under 13, but Ms Harman said the rule could be “extended” to cover less serious sexual offences against children in the future.

It’s the rights of the child that should be at the forefront, not the rights of the father.

Harriet Harman

The “major and significant” law change is necessary to address the “glaring anomaly” of courts protecting other people’s children from child sex offenders but not the offender’s own, she said.

Some mothers have been forced to pay for legal action to prevent paedophile ex-partners from influencing their children’s lives, the Labour MP said.

“It doesn’t protect his own because his rights as a father trump the protection of his own child, which is obviously wrong,” Ms Harman told Radio 4’s Today.

“It’s the rights of the child that should be at the forefront, not the rights of the father.

“It’s just so glaringly obvious that it’s wrong to protect other people’s children but not protect his own.

“It’s the courts and the law that should step forward to protect children, not leave it to the mother, if she can, to go to court.”