Vegetarian dad feeds children meat after split to ‘get at’ vegetarian wife, court hears

A once outspoken vegetarian started to feed his children meat to get at his vegetarian wife after they split up, a court has heard. 

 

At the Family Law court, the mother told Judge Mary Larkin: “In the beginning, before we ever had children we both agreed that we would bring them up vegetarian. He was a very outspoken vegetarian but when we separated he decided to start feeding the children meat, he did that to get at me.” 

 

In the case, after hearing several instances where the father allegedly undermined his ex-wife in front of their children, Judge Larkin asked: “Do I suspend access to someone who is deliberately setting about damaging his children?” 

 

The judge said that she would suspend access pending the father re-engaging with a court appointed expert who has stated that the father’s behaviour is having a very profound influence on his children. The expert will make suggestions about resuming access straight away when the father does re-engage with her. The father was not in court due to a medical issue. 

 

The mother told the court that the continued negatively from her ex “towards me is completely eroding any trust the children have in me and their bond with me – that is his whole point – his whole aim”. 

 

The mother said that every time they come home from access from their father, the children are cross and tired “and I’m told ‘Daddy told me that you are a liar and said not to believe what you say’”. 

 

She stated: “Everything about my parenting is undermined, from their feeding to their bedtimes.” 

 

The mother stated that her name is not to be mentioned at her ex-partner’s house when their children are there. She stated that before her ex-partner introduced this rule, the children used to have a running joke with their father that if there was a plane crash, wouldn’t it be funny if their mother’s new partner was the one without a parachute. 

 

Judge Larkin said: “The children are being told it is funny.” 

 

Solicitor for the mother, Joseph Chambers stated: “This man has for the past two years been seriously undermining my client’s position with the children and continues to do so.” 

 

The Irish Times