Call for changes to access law

Jailed: Minister was behind bars after children refused to see father

A Kirk minister who was controversially jailed by an Angus sheriff will this week demand MSPs change parental access laws.

The Rev Tracy Hart was imprisoned by Sheriff Gregor Murray at Forfar Sheriff Court after her children refused to visit their killer father.

Ms Hart told Sheriff Murray the visits were having a detrimental effect on their mental and physical wellbeing and the children did not wish to have contact with their father.

But the Forfar sheriff jailed her for contempt of court 18 months ago and she served eight days of a one-year sentence before being released and cleared on appeal amid a public outcry.

On Thursday, the clergywoman will address the Scottish Parliament’s public petitions committee, in the hope of securing new laws to stop violent offenders automatically qualifying for child access.

She said: “Women are urged to leave violent partners to safeguard children, but the system contradicts this by routinely ignoring their wishes.”

“What happened was a nightmare but I have discovered I am not unique.

“Being compelled to meet their father was deeply distressing for my children.

“My elder child would be physically sick and we had psychiatric reports outlining how distressing it was.

“But the default position of the courts seems to be that contact is in the best interests of the child, even when they wish no contact.

“Children are routinely denied the right to a view. We need legislation to take better account of their wishes.”

Ms Hart married in 2007 and knew her husband had served 11 years for a 1992 murder which he claimed had been a “one-punch tragedy”.

But she left him in 2009 after discovering that the murder had actually been much more brutal and he had other convictions for violence.

A court then ordered he be given access to his children at a contact centre.

But when they refused to interact with their father, the West Lothian minister landed in court.