Dad assaults ex-partner during child access visit (Cambridge, England, United Kingdom)

It doesn't seem to matter what the father's history of violence is anymore; he still gets visitation/access with the kids regardless. The authorities just don't care.

In this case, dad NEAL CUFFIE was supposed to pick up his son for lunch. Given that this father had a history of violence against the boy's mother, it was insane that he was ever granted "lunch rights." Of course, the person or persons who made this decision are not identified by name. They seldom are.

Of course Dad wasn't content to just pick up the boy and go do lunch. No, Dad apparently figured that while he was there, he might as well go ahead and push his way into the home, grab the mom by the hair, and punch her in the head. He also grabbed the phone away from her to keep her from calling the police. All in front of their traumatized young son. Only because another person appeared on the scene was this mother able to eventually contact the police.

Now Dad has been "tagged" and banned from going near the mother. Oh, and he takes all the useless classes and does the community service work. Yada yada.

What a lot of useless crap. This mother is convinced (with just reason) that this man is going to eventually kill her because he knows he can get away with it. Give that this is all the system will do for her, is it any wonder that the dad feels entitled to do as he likes?

Note that the article doesn't even mention whether Dad has retained his visitation/access rights. Wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if he still has them. It would horrify me, but not surprise me.

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Cambridge/Violent-father-is-tagged-and-on-house-ban.htm

Violent father is tagged and on house ban
Aaron CastellLast updated: 28/11/2007 00:00:00

A STUDENT who beat up his ex-partner in front of their young son has been banned from going near her and electronically tagged to ensure he stays away from her home.

Neal Cuffie, a mature student in his last year at Anglia Ruskin University, was also ordered to attend a domestic abuse programme after admitting two assaults on his former partner Eleanor Ball.

The 33-year-old, whose four-year relationship with Ms Ball ended earlier this year, must also undergo 24 months probation-service supervision and do 100 hours unpaid community work for the violence he inflicted on the frightened woman.

Cambridge magistrates were told that Cuffie, of the city's Drayton Road, had arranged to meet Ms Ball at a friend's home to pick up their young son for lunch when he pushed his way in, grabbed her by the hair and punched her around the head.

Screaming for help, the terrified Ms Ball, who was alone at the property, tried to call police, but Cuffie took her phone, Yetunde Fawehinmi, for the prosecution, told the court.

Fortunately, a man appeared in the doorway and Ms Ball, still screaming, managed to flee and make the emergency call.

The episode, in July, was not the first incident of violence and has left the young mother fearing for her life. A few weeks earlier Ms Ball was confronted by Cuffie in a city nightclub. He grabbed her in a bid to get her to go with him. But bouncers saw what was happening and went to her rescue. A friend took her home in a taxi, but when they arrived, Cuffie was waiting outside. Horrified Ms Ball did not get out of the taxi but went straight to the police station, the court heard.

Police officers took Ms Ball home only to find Cuffie still there and shouting abuse at their arrival.
In a victim impact statement to the court, Ms Ball said Cuffie's violence towards her was escalating, that she never felt safe when he was around and that he believed he "can get away with it".

"I do believe that one day he will end up killing me," she added.

In addition to the two charges of battery, Cuffie also admitted using threatening behaviour when police returned Ms Ball to her home after the nightclub incident.