this cash would of been better spent looking after children.
what a total waste of public funds

Yet again the Government in the guise of Margaret Hodge MP are more concerned about silencing protesting fathers than spending the time and money directly on solving th every issues these dedicated fathers campaign about.
Wake up and stop trying to solve the problem by shutting-up the protesters, listen to the real concerns of these men, and take positive action for the children who are so affected by needless fatherlessness in Britain. Society will thank you for it.

cuffjustice
People like you will complain about money being wasted on something so important to these guys they are prepared to go to jail for it,and yet we waste millions each year for failed asylem seekers legal aid yet you say very little about this wasted money "Get your priorities right"

ace this was a dig at the government.i am a great supporter of any man or woman who is willing to stand up and be counted for the rights of their children.
Hodge SHOULD BE LEFT WITH THE BILL TO PAY.

I read with interest the article in the Thursday edition of the M.E.N. regarding the Hatch and Stanesby court case where they were accused of wrongful imprisonment of Margaret Hodge.



Interestingly, the figure of £200,000 of public money wasted on this trial seems at odds with other figures quoted by the national press of £500,000..



That the editorial comment seeks to apportion responsibility for the undoubted waste of public money solely on the gentlemen concerned, while also claiming that the public would back this view.. Is, frankly, ludicrous..



Now, that is an interesting attitude to take, for a newspaper that clearly has a negative opinion on the efforts of these brave fellows in seeking solutions to the issues of parenting for those unfortunates who have had to endure the misery and hopelessness of the family courts..



Would it be possible that the editor of M.E.N. is perhaps aware that the gentlemen concerned did not desire this ludicrous and trumped up trial to be brought?



Would the M.E.N. agree that a charge of "false imprisonment" for what amounts, at worst to being a "schoolboy stunt" is perhaps a little over the top?



This trial, this waste of taxpayers money, was brought by the state, and no doubt had the government succeeded in punitively punishing, jailing, these brave gents who are battling against the prejudiced and cruel family court system in the UK, then perhaps the M.E.N would have a leg to stand on in its claims that the public are not happy about such "attention seeking buffoonery"..



If the M.E.N would like to see example of real "attention seeking buffoonery", I suggest they visit the family courts to witness first hand how many vindictive parents manipulate and abuse the systems with ease to prevent good, loving parents having contact with their children..



Oh, I forget to mention, the family courts are secret, so whatever happens, it happens away from the public eye..



Which is precisely why gentlemen like Stanesby and Hatch feel that the only way the public will be made aware of the abuse that occurs in these courts and other areas of government involved in children's welfare, is by their "reckless civil disobedience"..



I congratulate these gentlemen, and the jury, on this verdict, a verdict that represents a rare and historic triumph for common-sense and that, despite what the M.E.N is claiming, shows that 12 ordinary members of the public, 8 women and 4 men have sympathy indeed for the cause and beliefs and actions of these two fine fellows..



Now, perhaps the M.E.N would like to write an editorial comment that perhaps understands what NOT GUILTY as judged by ones own peers in the general public means and also shows some understanding as to WHO is directly responsible for this waste of public money..

Drax, fantastic piece pal. Intelligently written, informed, and completely correct. You speak from experience, as i now know. I find it easy to spot an outcast father now, they have knowledge in the corrupt family "system". No one else knows about this corruption except the fathers and solicitors/judges. Why do you think people like the ridiculous charlie falconer and the rest of the legal establishment want to keep the family courts secret? Its not because of "the best interests of the child", i'll tell you that. Its to keep their own nice little earner going, they dont want the public to know how things ACTUALLY work in these courts, there would be an outrage. And so they hound men like these two, who are trying to make people aware of the damage being done. And the government are complicit in this, they will spend whatever it takes to silence these fathers and keep things as they are. Its the social engineering experiment at full tilt, wrecking lives. I cant wait for this government, and people like margaret hodge, to be gone. Great comments by all on this subject, its encouraging to hear.

Abuse a father, you have abused a child!

Stunts can on one side of the coin be totally harmless. The other side of the coin is the attempt to situate a parent and child relationship in a harmful course. The risk to our western culture is morally inexcusable leading to a future of increasing criminality. Costs of such affairs are estimated with increasingly unjustifiable detriments to the treasury and more importantly to society. Resources are value neutral, what meaning do we give to them. Unfortunately for me, I am more concerned about the welfare of my child becoming an adult than the cost to the treasury. The best interest mantra reminds me of a sounding gong, a clanging symbol. There is no meaning-blaa, blaa, and blaa.

If our culture does not awake to this call, a one off stunt will be remembered as a desperately soul-searching warning from a culture that has grown cold to increasing human disasters. Putting children first means parents and those who work with children must place their ignorant, arrogant self-righteous selves second. That does NOT give anyone the excuse to abuse a single or married parent, even though he is a male. Abuse a father, you have abused a child! A father has a responsibility to love his children. The warning should go out far and wide, stay clear. The words of Henry Scougal are ever more reverberating. Children need a father’s love. We all must endeavour to have this passion for our children.
a parent and child relationship in a harmful position. The risk is morally inexcusable leading to a future of increasing criminality. Costs of such affairs are estimated with increasingly inexcusable detriments to the treasury and more importantly to society. Unfortunately for me, I am more concerned about the welfare of my child becoming an adult than the cost to the treasury. The best interest mantra reminds me of a sounding gong, a clanging symbol. There is no meaning. If society does not awake to this call, a one off stunt will grow to an increasing disaster. Putting children first means parents and those who work with children must place their ignorant, arrogant self-righteous selves second. That does NOT give me the excuse to abuse a single or married parent, even though he is a male. A father has a responsibility to love his children. The warning should go out far and wide, stay clear. The words of Henry Scougal are ever more reverberating. Children need a father’s love. We all must endeavour to have this passion for our children.

Pilgrim,I think you should try a little editing on your comments before submitting them to print. Thought funny,
sure I just read that somewhere.