I apologise if this blog seems a bit of a rant but something has really got under my skin this week.
The news over the last week has featured a number of child abuse cases, but what caught my attention was the case of Hamzah Khan whose mother, Amanda Hutton, was jailed for 15 years for his manslaughter. Then a day later his father was all over the news saying he tried to tell the police and he got his 15mins of fame.
I have no doubt the father was responsible of domestic violence after admitting assaulting Hutton, and was subject to a restraining order. The latter a fact he was shouting to anyone who would listen saying he couldn’t go near the house without getting arrested, but police records show he was advised if he had concerns over his sons welfare to contact social services, something which Bradford Social Services said they have no records to show that he did.
Two years after his death, his son’s mummified body discovered and I ask myself why as a dad did he not do anything? Especially when there are options like supervised contact at contact centres that are open to fathers along with anger management classes.
I know the courts often side with a mother and mothers take things into their own hands, and in a case of domestic violence a father starts with almost no rights, which in my opinion is fair as the best interests of the child need to be considered first and foremost. But could you go for 2 years not seeing you child, not talking to them on the phone, even seeing them on a video or picture? I know I have problems going a week without talking or seeing my children. So I have to ask myself – if he was really engaged with his child or just into knocking his ex-partners abilities as a parent?
It is a sign of modern society when you can sympathise with losing a child but you feel it is being used as a self serving publicity stunt, or part of a no win no fee compensation claim.
As a father who fights to see his children and be an active part of their life it sickens me because ( I know there were failings in the system that could have intervened to prevent Hamzah’s death) a father could have fought to protect his child had he wanted to or had the motivation to and didn’t. I do feel the loss of his child but find his behaviour in the press maddening and I am glad many people seem to have seen through it.
Every dad should look at this story and say yes it is an extreme situation but it is also a reason why no matter how rough it gets in a separation or divorce, or how much you feel the system is against you – there is always a way forward If you are prepare to push and fight for your rights and for your children.
Some things make me mad, some make me sad, this story has done both.
The views expressed in this blog are solely those of the blogger and do not necessarily represent the views of Dad.info.
