Parents 'incapable of child abuse'

A couple branded unfit parents and who had their three children taken away from them were “incapable of child abuse”, according to a health visitor who had known them for decades.

The woman had been Mark and Nicky Webster's health visitor in the weeks and months after the birth of each of their children, as well as for Mrs Webster when she was a baby.

She voiced her professional opinion in initial case conferences about the abuse claims made about the Cromer couple, but this was never reported in the family court proceedings which led to Mr and Mrs Webster's young children - all under five - being adopted.

North Norfolk MP Norman Lamb said this evidence was “disturbing” and may help the couple in their fight to keep their fourth child, five-month-old Brandon.

The revelation came after the High Court's family division, in an unprecedented open hearing, allowed the couple take Brandon home to live with them in Cromer.

In another legal move never before seen in this country, Mr Justice Munby also gave Norfolk County Council permission to reveal the full details of the abuse it claimed was suffered by their three other children.

The Websters had fled to Ireland in May, before Brandon was born, for fear that he may also have been taken away from them.

Brandon is now at the family home but the courts will decide in June whether he can stay with his birth parents.

Mr Lamb has revealed his concerns about the case to Norfolk County Council's children's department in a letter written on behalf of Mr and Mrs Webster, 33 and 26.

He told the Evening News: “Whereas most of the professionals who assessed the evidence and made judgements did not know the Websters, this health visitor had known the family for a very long time.

“Social services and health workers are condemned if they do and condemned if they don't. I am not in a position to judge the people who acted here because they thought they were acting in the best interests of the children.

“But this is clearly very disturbing evidence when the one health professional who knows the family does not believe they could abuse the children.”

Mr Lamb said he had visited the Websters and it was clear to him they “doted” on baby Brandon.

He said: “If they are innocent then there is nothing more unimaginable than having your children taken away from you. We owe it to them to test this evidence to the limit.”

The children, only known as child A, B and C, were taken away after the eldest son suffered an unexplained fracture to his leg.

According to Norfolk Social Services, X-rays showed child B had six fractures to the leg and ribs and this provided overwhelming medical evidence of abuse. Social services also said child A had suffered clinical and emotional harm.

But Mr Lamb said while there is medical consensus in this country that child B's fractures indicate abuse, in America medical opinion cast doubts on this.

Mrs Webster told a Sunday newspaper: “Our children were not victims of abuse from us. They were victims of the care system.”

In a reply to Mr Lamb's letter, Norfolk County Council denied any suggestion the council failed to make a full and proper disclosure of the views of the professionals involved with the family.

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