ACQUITTAL OF IAN AND ANGELA GAY

Early day motion 1067, tabled 7 March 2007 by John Hemming (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 4 members.

That this House notes that a jury recently acquitted Ian and Angela Gay of allegations that they had assaulted a child in their care who had symptoms of retinal haemorrhages and subdural haematomae; further notes that there has been considerable controversy about the use of such allegations as sufficient evidence either to prosecute parents or remove children from parents; and calls for a halt in the prosecutions of parents and actions in the family court under the Children Act 1989 where the only medical evidence of assault is the presence of those two symptoms, pending a detailed peer-reviewed review of the evidence in this area of biomechanics.

Signatures by party: Liberal Democrat 3, Conservative 1.