The judge allowed the father’s appeal against Judge Sapnara’s earlier refusal to award costs. He ordered the mother to pay £37,000 costs to the father.

Follows from C v S [2022] EWHC 800 (Fam) in which Judge Sapnara ordered a transfer of residence from the mother to the father on the advice of psychologist Dr Hessel Willemsen.

O v C [2025] EWFC 334

30 July 2025

Mrs Frances Judd

Justin Ageros for the mother

Expert: Melanie Gill

The Father v The Mother & Ors [2025] EWHC 2135 (Fam)

30 July 2025

Judge: Mrs Justice Nathalie Lieven

The judge made a barring order against the father until the children’s 18th birthdays and a costs order of £5,900 in view of his use of “litigation as a method of coercive control”.

Summary by St Mary’s Chambers

W v W [2025] EWFC 356

14 October 2025

Mr Justice Trowell

“The children became more resistant to seeing their father. Various professionals became involved: a family therapist, an independent social worker, and a psychologist.”

Mother v Father [2025] EWFC 420 (B)

5 November 2025

His Honour Judge Pates

The judge rejected the mother’s allegation that the father had sexually abused the son, while also rejecting the father’s allegation that the mother had used alienating behaviours. He found that the boy had aligned with his mother for understandable reasons because of the ongoing conflict between the parents. the father’s application for a shared live with order. He made an order for the child to live with the mother and have contact with the father. The local authority was ordered to give family assistance for twelve months. The judge issued a two year barring order to prevent either parent from making further applications and warned that the local authority may have to bring public law proceeding on the grounds of emotional harm if the parental conflict continued.