Tuesday 28 April 2009
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A BRISTOL judge hailed a "momentous day for the press" as family courts across the country were opened to the media for the very first time.
His Honour Judge Paul Barclay made the comments before the first open family case at Bristol Guildhall.
But campaign group New Fathers 4 Justice, an offshoot of the original campaign group for fathers' rights, threatened to "storm family court hearings" in the city unless they are made "completely open".
At the Guildhall yesterday, both parties in the child care case were asked if they objected to a Post reporter being present, before the hearing started with Judge Barclay reminding the court that "no reporting of any proceedings should in any way identify the child or any other lay persons in the case".
Although rules have been changed to allow reporters to attend many more family court hearings, reporting restrictions mean that it is very difficult for journalists to write a meaningful report of what they see and hear.
In addition, the new rules contain a number of provisions which will allow courts to exclude journalists.
At yesterday's hearing, ushers, clerks, lawyers and Judge Barclay were very accommodating – but it is ultimately up to individual courts and judges if they accept reporters.
The judge even called a hotline run by industry body The Newspaper Society to confirm that the Post reporter was a bona fide newsgatherer.
Ushers pointed the Post in the direction of courts allowing reporting, limited to just two yesterday – a private custody case, and a child care case.
The care case involved two foreign boys, aged one and two, whose mother had abandoned them.
There had been plans for the mother, who has mental health problems, to take her children back to their native country but she had gone missing.
The boys have since been in the care of Gloucestershire social services but there has been a delay in adoption proceedings. The case was adjourned until Friday.
Campaign groups said more still needs to be done to ensure that courts are totally open. Nigel Ace, Bristol co-ordinator of New Fathers 4 Justice, said: "Pressure from New F4J is building up regarding Jack Straw's 'open courts'. They are only being opened to selective media on selected cases. We want them to be 100 per cent open as per the crown and magistrates' courts."
Bristol City Council yesterday welcomed the new rules, and said it would help public understanding.
The spokeswoman said: "We welcome the move to allow reporters into family courts and hope that it will help improve general understanding of the role of social workers and the complexity of issues involving the care of children."
Campaign group Families Need Fathers (FNF) is disappointed at the new rules.
Spokesperson Jon Davies said: "Whileit is vital to protect the identities of the children we cannot understand why reporters will be forbidden to read court documents or judgements.
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