Visitation rights

[PromiseRose]

So, my partner and I are having some major issues and it looks increasingly likely that we'll end up breaking up. His behaviour has been becoming increasingly emotionally abusive towards me. We have a baby together and I'm concerned that when we break up he'll have access without me present. I wouldn't be opposed to this with a normal break up but due to the emotional abuse I'm concerned he may bad mouth me to put child. Also he had not shown himself go be a responsible parent yet, letting me to 100% of the child care etc. Does anyone know what his rights are and if there's anything I can do to make sure his access is with me present only, at least until baby is a little older and not still breastfeeding. He's on the birth certificate but we're not married.
TIA

@Doyoumind

I'm going to be honest with you. I have experience of the family courts over several years arranging contact with an abusive ex. If he applies for contact he will get it. If contact is to be supervised, it won't be by you. Unless the police have been involved it's quite likely supervised contact won't be ordered. The court is interested in the child and not what has happened in the relationship you had with the father.

^^This

I’ve seen seriously dangerous individuals be given visitation.

The threat of using your child against you is a common tactic to keep you in the relationship.

At the start I’m sure he will use your child and the court process to hurt you but I can almost put my life on it that soon enough - no matter how ‘devoted’ a father he is, he will disappear.

I'm in a few breastfeeding groups and have seen women have success in limiting access/preventing overnights as they are breastfeeding up to a year old. Over a year and it's very unlikely I think. You could try just going with your preferred arrangement and putting the onus on him to go to court over it if he doesn't like it. Most men are too lazy and cheap to bother. Keep records of all the abuse in case he does decide to go to court. Maybe speak to woman's aid. Start getting a paper trail of his abuse.