More Violence

[nanaJ]

I found out over the weekend that my grandson's dad has now committed a further offence of actual bodily harm and he has been committed to Crown Court as the offence is serious. His parents have kept quiet about this as they did about his previous offences on schoolchildren.

He is also boasting on facebook of watching extreme, illegal pornography and making comments about wanting girls to commit sex acts on him. I won't go into detail, it is too stomach churning.

We told the guardian all of this and she ridiculed me in court along with the judge. Since this hearing, he has had to be removed from the court room and is completely out of control. He still threatens me with violence even in front of the children and I have a police panic alarm in my home.

I am so worried about my grandson. His dad has three overnight stays every other weekend. If I did not send him, I would breach the court order and they will take me back to court to enforce it. I just don't think I can go through the court process again as I have so little confidence in the system.

My grandson is telling me that his dad rarely turns up for contact - the order is in his name- and that he is desperately unhappy having to stay with his parents. He asks where his daddy is and they just say "elsewhere". The whole situation is now impacting upon him; he has been stressed and angry at school and last week lashed out at a valued friend and I was called in by the headteacher. In the past the school have not been particularly helpful and I am wary of the headteacher.

I think that I will attend the criminal hearing to see what has really happened this time.

I know I cannot change things and feel completely powerless - I just wanted somewhere to vent my anger.

[David Roth]

He could potentially go to prison for ABH, nanaJ, particularly if there are other similar offences being taken into consideration. Presumably that would put the issue of contact into a whole new arena.

David R
FRG Policy Adviser

[nanaJ]

My youngest daughter thinks he won't get a prison sentence - she is halfway through her law degree with an interest in criminal law.

That puts me in a catch 22 situation. There is no point in approaching his family, they think his offending is funny and would never agree to anything without my applying to court. But if I do not act simply because of fear of the court process and something happens to him, then I will be responsible. I just dont know what to do this time.

My husband says to decide when he have attended the hearing. He thinks we may find he has further convictions and go from there. It's just if anything happens in the meantime.

[Kate]

NanaJ, so sorry to hear the situation's so bad. It's disgusting that you were ridiculed in court.

I suppose at least when your grandson goes for contact he's rarely having to see his dad. If contact is supposed to be with dad but he's not turning up, does he have to keep going? It all sounds so stressful for him.