Man gets suspended jail term for online post identifying children taken into care
A man whose children were taken from his care has been given a suspended nine-month jail term by a judge after posting material online which identified the youngsters.
Matthew John Newman concluded that Matthew John Newman had breached another judge’s orders by publishing documentation relating to private family court litigation centred on the children.
She analysed the case at a public hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London on Monday.
Lawyers representing social services bosses at Gloucestershire County Council (pictured), who have responsibilities for the children’s welfare, had argued Mr Newman was in contempt of court.
Mrs Justice Theis agreed and handed Mr Newman a prison term suspended until April 2020. She said breaches of orders had been flagrant.
Mr Newman was not at the hearing. The judge said he was aware of the hearing and had chosen not to attend.
Lawyers told the judge that offending material had now been removed from the internet.
Mr Justice Theis said the children should not be named in media reports of the case.
She was told that family court hearings where decisions about the children were made had been staged in Bristol.
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