Norfolk couple can keep baby

26 June 2007 14:54

A Norfolk couple was today celebrating a bitter-sweet victory as the High Court agreed they could keep their baby - four years after their three elder children were forcibly adopted amid abuse allegations.

Mark and Nicky Webster's desperate bid to keep 13-month-old Brandon saw them flee to Ireland when Mrs Webster was about to give birth to him.

But today Norfolk County Council told a judge in London that it was no longer relying on expert evidence of physical abuse which led to the three youngsters being taken away in 2003.

Mr Justice Holman was told that evidence of multiple non-accidental fractures of fragile bones suffered by one of the older children, Child B, had now been challenged by fresh medical opinion.

Some of the fresh evidence pointed to accidental fractures of fragile bones resulting from vitamin deficiency - perhaps even scurvy, which was virtually unknown in modern times, said Kate Thirlwall, for the council.

As a result, the council was no longer seeking to establish that either parent caused Child B's injuries and was satisfied that the couple's fourth, Brandon, was being looked after “very well”.

The couple, from Cromer, featured on a BBC documentary about their plight as Mrs Webster was heavily pregnant with Brandon.

The both categorically denied ever having abused any of their children, and claimed the injuries to Child B may have been caused by a brittle bone condition that runs through Mrs Webster's family.

Despite today's historic result, the couple have no legal way of getting their three children back as they have been adopted.