Mum's fight to get her baby back

A mother whose baby was put up for adoption against her wishes is appealing to the High Court to win her child back.

Rachel Pullen says she was not given a fair hearing by Nottingham City Council after they decided she was unable to care for her daughter.

A psychiatrist appointed by the city council concluded Rachel, 23, from Aspley, was not fit to instruct her own solicitor.

Then a lawyer was appointed on her behalf who did not oppose the adoption order. Consequently, a family court judge ruled the baby, who is now 18 months old, should be adopted.

Now the case has been taken up by Birmingham MP and family court campaigner John Hemming. who has put a petition before Parliament.

Mr Hemming is calling for a change in the law to prevent courts accepting the opinion of experts paid for by the local authority in similar cases. "I do not accept that this family has had a fair hearing," he said. "I want it explained how it is reasonable to allow a local authority to effectively exclude another party from a case in which they are involved."

Rachel said: I want my baby with me.

charles.walker@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk