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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Geraldine McKelvie

Courts let killer dad live with daughter - now he's jailed for attacking her

A killer dad allowed to live with his daughter by the family courts has now been jailed for attacking her.

The man was on licence when he flew at the 13-year-old in a drunken rage, grabbing her by the throat.

The girl’s mum today hits out after her ex was jailed for 10 weeks after admitting assault by beating.

The mum, who repeatedly warned professionals her girl wasn’t safe with the man, says: “My child was thrown to the wolves.

"The way I was treated was absolutely disgusting. I warned he’d seriously hurt my child and now there is a conviction to prove I was right all along.

The Sunday Mirror's Save Kids From Violent Parents campaign reveals how children have died after being placed in care of known violent or abusive parents (Roland Leon Sunday Mirror)

"My solicitor has told me we could have a case against social services because they didn’t listen to a word I said.”

The father was jailed for manslaughter in 2015 for killing another man and released early. But by violating the terms of his release he will now serve the rest of his eight-year term.

He has also been placed under indefinite restraining orders barring him from contacting his ex and their child.

Social workers advised a family court judge that although the man had a long history of violent offences he did not pose a risk to the girl.  

She was allowed to stay with him while a report on her future was prepared.

This is because of a legal blind spot which means serious criminals are not automatically banned from time with their kids. Human rights laws also mean parents have a right to a family life.

The Sunday Mirror is fighting to change the law as part of our Save Kids From Violent Parents campaign, in which we revealed 63 children have died since 2004 during unsupervised contact with known abusive parents.

We told last month how the teen fled to her dad’s house after a row with her mum over homework. And the mum said she ended up in a refuge after her ex raped and beat her.

We now want to ensure no one convicted of violent crime, sexual offences or child abuse is given unsupervised access.
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