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Baroness Butler-Sloss sorry for Fathers4Justice 'death threat' claim | |
(35 minutes later) | |
Former High Court judge Baroness Butler-Sloss has apologised for wrongly claiming Fathers4Justice made death threats against her. | Former High Court judge Baroness Butler-Sloss has apologised for wrongly claiming Fathers4Justice made death threats against her. |
The crossbench peer made the claim in December during a discussion on the safety of judges. | The crossbench peer made the claim in December during a discussion on the safety of judges. |
Lady Butler-Sloss said while she had received death threats "it was not true" they were from Fathers4Justice. | Lady Butler-Sloss said while she had received death threats "it was not true" they were from Fathers4Justice. |
She apologised "unreservedly" to the organisation, in a personal statement in the House of Lords. | She apologised "unreservedly" to the organisation, in a personal statement in the House of Lords. |
Fathers4Justice said it was "delighted" by the public apology. | |
Lady Butler-Sloss told peers she had "not prepared" her remarks, made in an intervention during a discussion on the Crime and Courts Bill. | Lady Butler-Sloss told peers she had "not prepared" her remarks, made in an intervention during a discussion on the Crime and Courts Bill. |
"I referred to death threats that I had received as a judge from dissatisfied litigants," she said. | "I referred to death threats that I had received as a judge from dissatisfied litigants," she said. |
"Most unfortunately, in referring to the people who had made such threats against me, I included the unwarranted suggestion that the organisation Fathers4Justice was among those who had made such threats. | "Most unfortunately, in referring to the people who had made such threats against me, I included the unwarranted suggestion that the organisation Fathers4Justice was among those who had made such threats. |
"It was not true." | "It was not true." |
She said two newspapers had picked up her remarks prompting Fathers4Justice, which campaigns for fathers to be given access to their children, to get in touch with her and request a public apology. | She said two newspapers had picked up her remarks prompting Fathers4Justice, which campaigns for fathers to be given access to their children, to get in touch with her and request a public apology. |
Nadine O'Connor, the group's campaign director, said: "The making of false allegations within the family courts is something that our fathers have to deal with on a daily basis, so as an organisation we were extremely upset about the allegations that were made against us." |
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