A father has been granted a residence order for his daughter after the mother repeatedly failed to comply with contact orders.

The couple separated in 2001. The father was able to have contact with his daughter for the first year but then the mother refused to co-operate. The father began proceedings but the mother refused to comply with court orders on at least 11 occasions, including some with penal notices attached.

A judge ruled that it would not be appropriate to send the mother to prison as she had a baby with her new partner. Instead, the father was granted a residence order for his daughter with the mother being allowed reasonable contact.

The order was upheld by the Court of Appeal which said the mother’s hostility and refusal to co-operate meant there was no option but to let the girl live with her father.