‘The last words my poor Jack said was dad did this and he did it on purpose’

'The last words my poor Jack said was dad did this and he did it on purpose'

A mother whose two children were brutally murdered by their abusive father during a court-approved access visit is calling for an end to the 鈥減ro-contact鈥 legal culture. Claire Throssell wants Keir Starmer to review the family justice system, as a new Women鈥檚 Aid report reveals that in the decade since her sons鈥 murder another 19 children in England and Wales have been killed by a parent, or parental figure, who was given access to them despite being the perpetrator of domestic abuse. The harrowing report, Nineteen More Child Homicides , explains the youngest child was just three-weeks-old and the oldest was 11. In all but one case, the killer was a man and 15 children were killed by their own father. Claire鈥檚 sons Jack, 12, and Paul, nine, were brutally murdered by their evil father, Darren Sykes, in October 2014, after he lured them to the attic with the promise of a new train set, then set fire to the family home. Claire, 53, from Penistone, South Yorkshire, says: 鈥淭he government hasn’t learnt anything since my sons were murdered. Children are dying and they are doing nothing to stop it.鈥 Now Women鈥檚 Aid has joined forces with Claire to put pressure on the government for an urgent review of the family justice system – claiming the family courts are 鈥渟till failing to protect children鈥. The charity, which tracks child homicides, claims 67 children have died at the hands of perpetrators of domestic abuse over the last 30 years. Before Claire鈥檚 sons were killed by their father, she had warned Cafcass (Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service) and Social Services that her ex-husband was dangerous and a threat to their children. She explains: 鈥淚n my court application I clearly stated he was capable of killing Jack and Paul. He had been repeatedly violent towards me and abusive to the boys. 鈥淓ven in the Family Court he was shouting at me and couldn鈥檛 contain his temper, but still the judge gave him access to my beautiful sons, and now they are dead. 鈥淚 knew the boys weren鈥檛 safe with him and the hardest part is Jack and Paul knew that too. They didn鈥檛 like going to visit their dad. They knew how angry he could get and would beg me not to make them go, but there was a court order in place stating they had to see their dad twice a week.鈥 It was during one of those access visits on October 22 2014, that Claire鈥檚 ex-husband deliberately set fire to the house, after cancelling the building and contents insurance. He also died in the blaze. Claire says: 鈥淭he last words Jack said, as the firefighters desperately tried to rescue him, was 鈥榤y dad did this and he did it on purpose鈥.鈥 Paul died on the same night, as did his father. Jack bravely fought for his life for another five days, before his severe burn injuries and connected medical complications took his life. The heartbreaking loss has made Claire determined to campaign for family law to change. Committed to stamping out domestic abuse, she is currently waiting for a response to her request for a meeting withJustice Secretary Shabana Mahmood . She says: 鈥淭he pro-contact culture means dangerous and violent individuals are being given access to children. There is a systematic problem in family courts that needs addressing. 鈥淗ow many more children have to be killed before the government stands up and listens? 鈥淚 vowed after my sons died that I would do everything I could to stop another child being killed at the hands of an abusive parent, but I am fighting one government after another, who aren鈥檛 listening.鈥 Claire launched a petition in 2016 to end presumption of contact, as part of her Child First campaign.After gaining more than 100,000 signatures, it was debated in parliament. She says: 鈥淚 can never bring my sons back, but I won鈥檛 stop campaigning until the government stands up and does something meaningful to protect children.鈥 In January this year, Labour MP, Marie Tidball, led a debate calling for a change in the law to remove the family court’s presumption of contact. Claire, who has now written a book, For My Boys, which is published in October, adds: 鈥淚 will not let Jack and Paul鈥檚 deaths be in vain. There isn鈥檛 a single minute of a single day when I don鈥檛 think about my sons. Jack should now be 23 and Paul 20. 鈥淭heir lives were cruelly taken far too early, and I was robbed of the memories and lives we should have shared together. 鈥淚 implore Keir Starmer to think about this and prevent another parent going through the devastating pain and heartache I am forced to endure every second of my waking life. 鈥淒oes the Labour government want its legacy to be that of one who ignored the safety of children or one that did something to save lives? 鈥淣o one should suffer the pain that constantly rips me apart and no child should be put at risk of a terrifying and painful death.鈥 Farar Nazeer, CEO of Women鈥檚 Aid, adds: 鈥淚t is clear that within the family court system there remains inequality, injustice, fear and oppression. 鈥淎ll too often perpetrators are shielded by a system that does not prioritise the safety of adult and child survivors. 鈥淭here also remains a disproportionate regard for the rights of the perpetrator in the family court system, often at the expense of the rights of the child.鈥 When asked for a response, a government spokesperson told this newspaper: 鈥淭his was a horrendous crime and our thoughts are with Claire Throssell and her family. 鈥淲hile judges already have the power to restrict parental involvement in a child鈥檚 life, we are reviewing the presumption of parental involvement and will publish the findings and next steps shortly.鈥 For My Boys by Claire Throssell will be published by Mirror Books on October 9th. To preorder on Amazon now go to: https://www.amazon.co.uk/My-Boys-Claire-Throssell/dp/1917439326

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