BY PAUL JEEVES
NEIL Denison spends every day wondering whether he has become a father.
Following the break-up in his relationship last November, 31-year-old Neil was told he would never be allowed to see his child.
Neil, of Darrington, Pontefract, is not able to launch legal action until the baby is born and he is refused access but he says he is struggling to find out whether or not the child has been born already.
He said: "She could have been born already, I might be a dad and not know, it's heartbreaking.
"This was the last thing I wanted but I am terrified of getting caught in a lengthy court process just so I can see my daughter.
"I know of cases that have taken over six years and that is simply ridiculous, even the quick cases seem to drag out for about a year. That's not fair on the estranged parent, the grandparent, the uncles and aunts and, most importantly, the child itself."
Neil joined a candle-lit vigil outside Leeds Crown Court last night to highlight the plight of families who are kept apart because of lengthy court procedures.
Campaign group Candles 4 Kids, who organised the vigil, want the system to be overhauled and streamlined so cases are sorted out far more quickly than at present.
The Leeds vigil was one of 35 being held nationally to raise the group's profile.
Along with calling for a court procedure that takes weeks rather than months the group also want case officers to be fully trained in dealing with emotional abuse and parental alienation and they also want the same judge to see cases through.
They also say that parents who move with their children to another area of the country during an ongoing court case should be ordered to bring them back or attend court in the original location so the court process does not start all over again with fresh reports.
Neil, who is planning to go to university to study family law next year, added: "This was a family-based peaceful event that didn't involve Batman hanging from railings.
"It is an attempt to show the political parties, who have ignored this issue so far in their electioneering, that those involved in children's issues come from every corner of the land, from all backgrounds.
"It is not just excluded dads, it's mums, step-parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, friends, godparents and anybody who cares about the child."
paul.jeeves@ypn.co.uk