Birmingham MP John Hemming is continuing his legal battle to help a woman whose baby daughter was taken into care, despite a judge condemning his behaviour as “not only unacceptable but shocking”.
Mr Hemming (Lib Dem Yardley) was at the receiving end of an extraordinary attack from one of the country’s top family law judges, after he advised a woman whose child had been taken into care by Nottingham City Council.
Lord Justice Wall accused him of making “wrong and ill-informed” criticisms of professionals involved in child protection.
But the MP took the case to the European Court of Human Rights, which is currently considering whether the mother’s right to a family life was violated.
Her daughter, who was born prematurely and had a number of medical conditions, was removed from her after the council concluded she did not have the mental capacity to take care of her.
The European court is also looking into claims that she did not receive proper legal representation at court hearings in the UK.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Hemming told MPs he was continuing to advise the mother. He said: “That case is absolutely appalling in my view.”
