Its an egg for gods sake not a brick, did not see the police come running when school children start throwing eggs in the street on there last day of school.

We have people stealing from the NHS and from the welfare state and yet we hear that these people ""might get a custodial sentence?" Why if the government will not listen to these people what else is left to them ? They should be seen as heros for highlighting how men are not allowed the same rights as women?

Hopefully with our 'justice' system being the way it is he will get off with a slap on the wrist.

Our Democracy suffered today we cannot have peaceful demos and now we cannot complain any other way.These are invisible handcuffs for these men? Very undemocratic.If ministers listened to their voters there wouldnt be a need for these fathers to demonstate for their rights ..

Isn't it sad when men have to resort to this kind of action to have access to their children?

As a woman, I've thought that for too long our 'Equality Laws' are far from that.

Men have always had to work to the age of 60. Women only had to for a short time and then the age limit was dropped to 60. By the time I'm due to retire, it will have slowly climbed back to 65.

Woman have always been able to obtain free prescriptions from age 60, whereas their male counterparts have always had to wait until age 65.

Women are automatically entitled to a widow's pension, but there is no such equivalent for men.

In judicial trials, a man will always be given a longer, harder sentence than his female equivalent, and the question has got to be "why?"

The list goes on and on.

Come on Labour, if you really want equality, then bring in legislation to ensure that men and women are treated equally and men don't have to resort to doing stupid things like this man.

Shortage of prison space, not common sense is the reason Mr. Downes.

Egging a valued member of the government and only recieving an ASBO! Has the world gone mad, for this assault he should have been given at least a knighthood! Ha......

*Applauds anon*

I've always been a campaigner for equal rights (often wrongly labelled a feminist when concerned with issues of sexism). Something desperately needs to be done to insure that men (or indeed non-maternal parents) have equal access to children. This should be an automatic right, not something that has to be fought for.

If you believe Mike is a hero then help others like him to keep up the fight for equal parenting by joining or donating through our website.

Thank you Michael for helping to bring awareness to the injustices of Family Court. Children deserve Equal Shared Parenting Worldwide. Thanks for your sacrifice for ALL NonCustodial Parents Worldwide.
Tammy J. Brown, DPM, RPh
Oneida County Coordinator, Father's & Family's NY
NY Civil Rights Council
tamdpm@yahoo.com

What !! He got an ASBO. He should have got a free supply of eggs to throw at that idiot Ruth Kelly.

Good on you Michael Downes

This man represents me and my views much more than Ruth Kelly does. I fully support his actions.
It is a scandal that the family courts pander to the feelings of ex-wives simply because they reason that an upset mother is an upset child. Unfortunately the minority of mothers who want to airbush the father out of the children's lives are really bad mothers with psychological problems.

For the minor crime of an egg being smashed upon someone's head only hides the true undercurrent of the whole story.This man like myself has been driven to despair by lack of support in the courts and 'welfare' system.Surely someone somewhere must standback and wonder that all we have to do as fathers,is turn up at court,be told you have no chance of seeing your child and that is the end?No...we wont!Only for financial restraints can we not fight anymore for OUR children,the judges must realise that coming back to court to show that you want to be part of your childs life is not enough to convince them that you are a worthy parent.I have been to court several times...been through the process of welfare officers reports,and been told where the problem lies.But after hearing the words from the judge to my ex-partner that 'unless she does what is right by the child'then the judge WAS going to impose a custodial sentence upon her as way of making her see the light.When it failed AGAIN,i was amazed to see the oh so powerful justice system crumble around the empty words it had uttered only a few weeks previous...So to you my friend Micheal..i tip my hat,you tried like so many of us and failed.Lets just hope as the children grow older they will endeavour to seek us out..then we can begin the rest of our lives.

I applaud the actions of this man as the feelings of hopelessness and frustrating are sometimes over powering, as many good fathers are denied the right to love their alienated children because of gender bias family law . The injustice of being forced away from their own flesh and blood is a very painful expeirence . Who will listen to us ? What alternative other than direct protesting do we have ?

A real father would not use violence against a woman. Rotten eggs to Mike Downes!!! BOOOOOO!!!!

Do Mr Downes and the rest of his campaign group not have the intelligence to air their views in a lawful manner? The criminal records of these 'campaigners for justice' surely mean they are inappropriate role models for the children they claim they want to spend more time with. The antics of Mr Downes and his mob are more akin to spoilt brats in the playground than campaigners with any credibility. I wonder how Mr Downes' children feel about thier father being so publicly branded a criminal?

i travled from london to see this bloke in court, he is a superhero and i was the first, (batman) this man, father, citezen of manx should be get an award for his efforts dont demomise him, all he wants is equality, ie. THE RIGHT TO SEE HIS CHILDREN...

Sentenced for attacking with an egg? The charge alone strikes me as a real stretch, with punishment meted out on the basis of being a "serial egger."

If half as much thought was put into righting the wrongs created by family courts we might begin to see this reign of terror egging come to a conclusion.

A Silly Bloody Order, indeed.

I have no sympathy with Mr Downes, he commited a crime and got away with it. People who CHOSE to marry should remember their vows (for better etc). Personally people who marry are a pain, they are either walking round in a Lovey Dovey World Of There own or moaning moaning moaning. The message is you chose to marry knowing the consequences...so grow up Mr Downes and be a real father??

What this report fails to mention is the fines and costs also awarded by the court.


Not bad really considering 6 armed terrorists who hiyjacked a plane and landed in London walked away scott free and can't even be deported.

British justice...it was an egg not a brick. lets keep in prospective.

Hold on....im not up on politics, but wasnt Ruth Kelly the one responsible for letting sex offenders work in schools? what 'sentence' did she get for allowing that to happen.... Thought so nothing. Yet this fella gets a 5yr asbo for chucking an egg at her.... Which in your opinion is more serious. Egg throwing or allowing some nonce to work with children.

This person attacked a member of the government - an attack on democracy. He is a disgrace to his children and himself and should have been locked away.

AREALFATHER, USA!! Without people like Mr downs people like you would not have a country like america ""Free"" And you should be backing people like Mr downs because we are slowly loosing our rights to protest and equal rights for all?? Its being eroded .

i would like to thank mike for his fight for every child in this country.i never thought it would happen to me it has!
things are wrong in the family legal systom,mike and others are trying to show the general public!

Although I do not agree with Mr Downes actions. I do sympathise that fathers are not given the same rights as mothers. My husband is a wonderful father to our two children and a complete equal to myself. We can only try to understand the frustrations of the poor fathers who are not given rights. However with regards to Little Jockey from Swinton, could you possibly be a little bitter than you have never had the opportunity to be involved in a wonderful, loving relationship and that you will probably be a bachelor for the rest of your life, living at home with your mother and pets? Get a life and stop trying to undermine other peoples lives just because you're SAD! I am very much in love with my husband, we've been together 11 years and yes we are very lovey dovey. Ha!