Sometimes, You Win One…

A British couple whose two-month-old daughter was taken into care after a "misguided" suspicion of abuse have been awarded £8,000 in compensation.

They were also awarded their costs, totalling £14, 000. Sadly, that isn’t coming out of the pockets of doctors, social workers and judges who dropped the ball in this case:

The girl, from Oldham, was taken into care in 1998 after breaking her leg.

The family was reunited nine months later when another injury revealed that the girl had brittle bone disease.

In other words, doctors misdiagnosed the cause of the injury, failed to complete proper checks, jumped to unwarranted conclusions and then the panoply of the ‘child protection experts’ swung into action, as ponderous and slow to change course as an oil tanker.

… their solicitor Emma Holt…said "I think what motivated them was the very strong feeling that they had been wronged.

"In cases like this people always say, 'No smoke without fire' and these accusations stick.

"I think the family were on a quest to find someone to uphold that what happened to them was wrong."

Ms Holt said the judgment opened up the possibility that other families in similar situations could bring human rights claims in the future.

Let’s hope they do.

But let’s be honest here – nothing will change while those who had no part in the mistake (the taxpayers) pay for the excesses of those who take the ‘misguided’ actions they take secure in the knowledge that there will be no comebacks for them, financial or otherwise.