Man convicted of raping stepdaughters denied any say in welfare of other children

A father convicted of raping his stepdaughters is to be denied any say in the welfare of his three other children, a High Court judge in Northern Ireland has ruled.

Mr Justice Michael Humphreys granted a declaration that a Health and Social Care Trust in the North is under no obligation to inform or involve the man in any decision-making process about the children.

He held that it was an exceptional case where their human rights outweighed those of a parent.

“By his own actions and behaviour, the father has forfeited any right to be involved in the decision making for the future lives of his children,” the judge said.

The three children at the centre of the legal battle were taken into care after their mother died in 2014.

A year later their father, referred to as PV, was jailed for raping and indecently assaulting their half-sisters.

Despite being released on licence in June 2021, he remains subject to a lifelong Sexual Offences Prevention Order.

Amid further allegations of physical, emotional and sexual abuse, the court heard all three of the children have made it clear they want nothing to do with their father.

In a rare move, they each mounted bids to have his parental responsibility terminated.

Following an assessment of competing legal rights, Mr Justice Humphreys dismissed those applications.

Separately, however, the unidentified Trust sought an order that it is not under an obligation to share information or documents with PV, or to consult with him about decision-making relating to his children.

Counsel for the father told the court that he still denies raping his stepdaughters and asserts that he was wrongfully convicted.

He also claimed the Trust’s application did not really have the support of the three other children.

But Mr Justice Humphreys said evidence pointed to “horrific abuse perpetrated by the father against his stepdaughters and his complete lack of acknowledgement of the serious harm he has caused”.

With PV having written to his children from prison, setting out his intention to reunite the family, he was assessed as posing a serious risk to them.

“They have expressed their unambiguous views that they do not wish their father to play any role in their lives,” the judge said.

In a published decision he confirmed: “I have come to the clear conclusion that this is indeed an exceptional case in which the circumstances are such that the declaratory relief being sought by the Trust should be granted.

“The father continues to deny the really serious harm which he has inflicted and for which he was convicted.

“(He also) seeks to deny the veracity of the wishes of the children as clearly expressed by them.”