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‘I have told your parents to stop the c--p’, Judge tells custody row brothers

Central Family Court in London
Central Family Court in London

A judge wrote a letter to two young brothers explaining how he had told their parents “to behave a bit better and stop the c--p after their custody battle came to court.

Judge John McKendrick KC, who sits at the Central Family Court in London, was asked to rule on whether the boys, aged eight and 11, should continue splitting their time between their divorced parents’ houses in London or allow them to move to Somerset with their mother.

Both boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said they liked the idea of moving to Somerset, in accordance with their mother’s wishes.

This would have meant the father having his sons only at weekends and in the holidays.

Judge McKendrick decided against this proposal, telling the boys in his letter that he worried this would mean their father “would not have a full and proper role in your lives”.

In evidence, the elder brother said: “I wish my mum and dad would be back together and stop arguing and all of this crap that is going on.”

Judge McKendrick ruled the boys should remain in London rather than moving to Somerset, but wanted to explain the decision to them in a way they would understand.

In a letter to the boys, referred to as A and B, he wrote: “I have asked your Mum and Dad to behave a bit better.

“I know you both find the arguing that happens between them difficult. Although it is a naughty word, [A], you are right to describe it to Shelley as ‘c--p’. I have told your parents to stop ‘the c--p’.”

Judge McKendrick gave leave for his judgment – which was made in August last year – to be published, with anonymity for the boys, in order for the public to see how a judgment was made.