A mother who said she was repeatedly raped and threatened by the father of her child has lost her appeal to prevent the father from being notified about care proceedings involving their daughter.

The mother, who told the court that their daughter was conceived through non-consensual sex (rape), said the father had threatened to kill their daughter unless she had an abortion.

The father, who is married to another woman, warned the mother in a text that if anything was said to alert his wife to the pregnancy, “you will see a very, very different side of me”. The father then blocked the mother’s telephone number, and has not played any role in his child’s life since.

Prior to the mother raising her appeal, a judge in the High Court ruled that the threats and perceived fears around the mother’s and the child’s safety were unfounded because the threats, several of which were published on social media, had not currently been followed up with any physical action by the father.

Judge Wood also said it was important for the child to know her father, because of her mixed-race heritage.

Concluding his reasoning, Wood said, “I am not satisfied that this is an exceptional case. I am not satisfied that the risk in this instance is of such an order that it cannot be managed, and appropriate measures put in place.”

You can read the judgment, which is relatively short, on BAILII.

A good summary of the judgment is also available on Local Government Lawyer.