A Happy Ending: Coventry City Council Forced To Pay For Voluntary Care Provided By Good Samaritan

ANTONY EDWARDS-STUART QC
A WISE JUDGE

A child, kicked out of his home by his step-mother, was taken in by Elizabeth Casey.

Terry (the child) had had a lot of bad luck: his mother had died, his eldest brother had died, his other older brother had moved in with Ms Casey.

He had one piece of good luck. Ms Casey took him in when his step-mother, with at least the acquiescence of his father, kicked him out of the family home.

Ms Casey was given the impression by the local Council that she would receive financial assistance.

They reneged on an untrue technicality.

No surprise there.

Mr Antony Edwards-Stuart QC sitting as a Deputy High Court Judge has ordered them to pay. Read the case.

There is a lot of technical legal analysis of the law in the judgment but you can read that for yourself if you wish. The only part I will quote here is this:

"Terry has remained with Ms Casey, with whom he has been very happy. She has cared for and supported him ever since, almost entirely at her own expense. He is now 17 and attending a carpentry course at a City College in Coventry. Ms Casey's kindness to Terry reflects enormous credit on her and her care has been beyond reproach."

Result = Good judge. Very nice lady. Justice served.

The wriggling silly Council was Coventry City Council. May they live in infamy.