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Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Abusive Ex has got a solicitor involved for access

16 replies

Flowers2622 · 11/03/2022 12:05

I previously wrote a thread regarding my abusive ex causing a lot of problems during my pregnancy and this lead to police being involved and me and my daughter (from previous relationship) having to flee the property I owned with him.

This lead to social services being involved and they were happy that both me and my daughter had left. I was pregnant at the time with his baby and social services have made it clear he is not to have access and he needs to get access through the courts if he wants any involvement.

Since she has been born, I did the right thing and made him aware of her birth but explained SS we’re involved and I would contact them, he was very abusive over messages and started telling everyone I was refusing access.

I then ended up bumping into him with our baby who he still hasn’t met and he didn’t even attempt to approach me (surely if he thinks he did nothing wrong, then he would have) I was expecting abusive messages as soon as I left but he didn’t get in contact until a few days later and he was more bothered about how I looked then asking how is daughter was. He’s not asked how she is or even asked for any pictures, he just said SS have spoken to him and said they haven’t said the baby is under SS.

I then rang SS and they said they haven’t got anything logged to say he’s called, and I’m doing the correct thing safeguarding my children and not to allow access. They actually rang back as they were concerned I was going to allow access, I confirmed this was not the case but I just wanted confirmation from SS I was doing everything right.

I am in no way an unfair parent and my other child has a great relationship with her father and we both share her time equally, however my baby’s father is aggressive, controlling, smashes things, threatens to commit suicide, attempts to commit suicide, alcohol and drug abuse.. so I would not want my baby to be involved in that and he would break my other child’s toys, shout at her and refuse to get her anything if she asked for drink.

Anyway, since then he has now got a solicitor to email me and they have said I’m refusing to allow access and the father does not understand why I’m doing this and I’m being unfair… he has clearly not explained social services are involved and anything about the domestic abuse that has gone on?

I am hoping someone can please give me some advice or if you’ve been through anything similar? I genuinely don’t think he cares about her and it’s more about getting back at me, I worry her mental health could be affected and don’t want to even think about the risk of danger if he goes to the courts and gets access.

Thank you in advance

OP posts:
tealandteal · 11/03/2022 12:06

Hopefully someone will be along who is more knowledgeable, can you reply along the lines of you are refusing access as recommended by social services as he is aware?

Steelesauce · 11/03/2022 12:10

Id just ignore it tbh. If he pushes for mediation, when you do your MIAM they will recommend no mediation because of the abuse and straight to court. Then it is up to him to take you to court. If he does (I doubt it) then you will go through the court process

RandomMess · 11/03/2022 12:16

I would reply to his solicitor and explain you fled and SS have said you are not to allow contact and he needs to go via the courts. That any further contact from him direct or via a solicitor other than court documentation will be logged as harassment.

Doyoumind · 11/03/2022 12:16

Ignore. Just don't engage at all. Let him spend money getting a solicitor to write what he wants him to write.

Flowers2622 · 11/03/2022 12:27

@tealandteal I have responded just advising that due to the domestic violence and SS concerns for him to go through the court process

OP posts:
Flowers2622 · 11/03/2022 12:29

@Steelesauce Thank you, I did respond just advising the DV and SS involvement, although it’s not a nice process I would prefer to go through the courts to put set things in place and for the courts to make the decision on whether he is a safe person to bring up a child.

OP posts:
Steelesauce · 11/03/2022 12:30

My best advice would be if he does take you to court, use a barrister. They seem to get their point across much more clearly.

Flowers2622 · 11/03/2022 12:32

@RandomMess Thanks! Is this something I can say to a solicitor if they keep trying to push access, I read that the solicitor specialises in DV so I can’t see she will be happy that he’s not mentioned this before she issued to letter to me and not even explained the SS are involved when I have evidence that I’ve made him aware.

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Flowers2622 · 11/03/2022 12:34

@Doyoumind Thank you, I did already respond, however I don’t think there is much more to say now as I’m expecting it to go through the courts now

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Fireflygal · 11/03/2022 12:35

He has obviously fed his solicitor the victim story but the way its written suggests the solicitor is suspicious so clarifying.

Unfortunately it could be stressful for you if he is insisting on court but trust that you have social services backing so should all be OK in the end.

Flowers2622 · 11/03/2022 12:38

@Steelesauce Thank you, he has left me with no money, I had to come away with a small amount to get off the house we owned together to completely cut ties, it wouldn’t be affordable and I wouldn’t get help from legal aid due to how much I earn (although this is still not enough to pay for legal advice). I would have to represent myself, I have a lot of evidence and have reported everything to police, counselling, idvers and social services, so have this for when/if CAFCASS get involved.

OP posts:
FelicityPike · 11/03/2022 12:39

Do solicitors send emails?

Flowers2622 · 11/03/2022 12:42

@Fireflygal thank you! Yes she’s a domestic violence specialist solicitor so hopefully she sees it for what it is, but I do have a lot of evidence and have reported everything through DV services, police and SS. I just don’t think he’s been honest with her to start with, even though I have sent him messages that clearly state social services are involved, but he just brushes past it and says I’m not allowing access.

OP posts:
Flowers2622 · 11/03/2022 12:43

@FelicityPike they do now, however he has no other way of contacting me as he’s not allowed to know where I live and there is a marker on my address in case he turns up

OP posts:
Abridget7 · 11/03/2022 21:49

Is he on the birth certificate?

Lolalovesmarmite · 11/03/2022 23:08

Please don’t be under the illusion that your ex’s solicitor is going to be in any way sympathetic to you because they specialise in DV. Their primary duty is to their client and they will do whatever they are instructed to do by him. Solicitors who specialise in DV still represent violent, abusive men and will happily help them pursue unrealistic, unreasonable demands for access without caring what their reasons for wanting that access are.

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