Teen should not go home after hospital stay as mother lives with convicted paedophile – judge
A “vulnerable” 18-year-old woman should not go home after leaving hospital because her mother is living with a convicted paedophile, a High Court judge has ruled.
Mrs Justice Arbuthnot has approved a plan which will see the woman leave hospital and temporarily move to a “supported living” placement after council social services bosses raised concern about the dangers her mother’s partner posed.
The judge also made an order barring the man, who has served a jail term after being convicted of child sex offences, from having contact with the woman.
She made orders after considering the woman’s case at a public High Court hearing in London on Thursday, after an urgent application by the council involved.
A barrister representing the local authority described the case as “unusual” and said the woman was “vulnerable”.
John McKendrick KC told the judge the woman had been at centre of family court litigation as a child, and had previously made a rape complaint.
Mr McKendrick indicated she had been living in council children’s accommodation before going into hospital for treatment for physical health problems.
She has now turned 18 and been assessed as having the mental capacity to make her own decisions about where she lives.
He said the prospect of her going home and living with her mother and her mother’s partner worried social workers.
“The hospital has told my client that she is going to be released today,” said Mr McKendrick.
“That raises very significant safeguarding concerns.”
He argued that an order aimed at stopping the woman going home was justified and needed to protect her because of her vulnerability.
Mrs Justice Arbuthnot said the man could not be told where the woman was.
The judge said council staff should ask the woman if she wanted her mother to know where she was.
She ruled that no-one involved, including the council, could be identified in media reports and the case would be reconsidered in the near future.
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