High Court Proceedings Update
High Court Proceedings Update
Lucy Roberts, Walker Family Law’s Senior Associate Solicitor acted for the father in complex High Court proceedings involving allegations of parental alienation and emotional harm.
In F v M & Anor [2026] EWHC 239 (Fam), the court was concerned with the father’s application for international contact with his child, who had been wrongfully removed from another country by the mother and brought to England where she had claimed asylum on the basis of allegations about the father which she said placed her and the child at risk. The father’s case is that the mother’s allegations were unfounded and her actions amounted to parental alienation and had caused harm to the child. The court considered the cross-allegations made by each parent in a fact-finding hearing.
The mother’s allegations against the father were successfully defended, with no findings made against him. The court went on to uphold the majority of the father’s cross-allegations that the mother had engaged in alienating behaviours, concluding that her conduct had caused the child emotional harm.
The case will now proceed to a psychological assessment of the family before the court determines what arrangements are in the child’s best interests.
The judgment is particularly relevant given the Family Justice Council Guidance on allegations of alienating behaviours, published in December 2024, which has generated considerable discussion about the appropriate approach to such cases. This decision illustrates the court’s structured and evidence-led analysis when addressing allegations of alienation.
Lucy regularly advises and represents parents in complex children cases involving serious allegations and child abduction, and this outcome reflects her experience in achieving clear and robust findings in challenging proceedings.
The full Judgment can be seen here: F v M & Anor [2026] EWHC 239 (Fam) (09 February 2026)
