No parental role for father who was part of ‘predatory’ group that sexually abused teen
A teenage girl groomed and sexually exploited by a group of “predatory men” is embroiled in family court litigation after giving birth.
The youngster and her baby are both in council care.
They are living at a foster home and the child’s father is in jail.
Detail has emerged in a ruling published by a family court judge overseeing proceedings centred on the child.
Judge Clifford Bellamy, who oversees cases in the Midlands, said he had analysed evidence at a recent private family court hearing.
He said nothing could be revealed in media reports of the case which would identify the girl or her child.
The judge said the teenager gave birth late last year and she was living with the baby at a foster home.
Judge Bellamy said the child’s father was a member of a “group of predatory men”.
The judge said the men had groomed and exploited a number of girls, including the teenager.
He said the child’s father had been prosecuted for offences relating to his relationship with the teenager and was serving a prison sentence.
The man had never seen the baby or had any contact.
Judge Bellamy said he had concluded that council social services bosses did not have to give the man any information about the family court proceedings centred on the child.
He said the man did not have parental responsibility and had never had any “family life” with the child.
The judge concluded that telling the man about proceedings would not be in the child’s interests.
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