Depressed
man has
child taken
from him

Judge Sarah Lynch said “very serious concerns” had been raised about the man’s behaviour and pointed to a history of “impatience, temper, verbal and physical violence” towards his children.

But she described the man as “caring and conscientious”, said the risk he posed was “not his fault”, and said he was in a “tragic” situation.

Detail of the case has emerged in a written ruling by Judge Lynch following a hearing in Leeds County Court.

She said: “Can I make very clear though that the risk the father poses is not his fault, as I am sure he feels it is. We are all the product of our upbringing and of the lives we have led and the father cannot be criticised for having the problems he does.

“He struck me as a caring and conscientious man and it is tragic that he finds himself in this situation.”

Social workers from Wakefield had asked Judge Lynch make decisions about the future of the man’s six-month-old son.

Judge Lynch ruled that the child should be adopted amid concerns had been raised about the mother’s ability to protect her son from being harmed by his father. She said none of the people involved could be identified.