Pilchar & Brown

In *Pilchar & Brown*, heard before Justice Mullane, the dispute concerned interim orders regarding the living arrangements, parental responsibility, and contact arrangements for a child born in August 2003. The proceedings also involved applications for injunctions for the protection of the child and the mother.

The court was required to determine whether the child should spend any time with the father, given allegations of the father's violence towards the mother and the child. A further issue was whether the child's best interests would be served by the mother having sole parental responsibility. The court also considered the need for interim orders to protect the child and mother from the father.

Justice Mullane reasoned that the evidence of the father's abusive behaviour towards the mother and others was so serious that it was contrary to the child's best interests for the child to spend time with him. The Independent Children's Lawyer also opposed any time spent with the father. Consequently, the court made interim orders for the child to reside with the mother and for the mother to have sole parental responsibility. The father was restrained from spending time with or communicating with the child, and injunctions were granted to protect both the child and the mother from the father, including a restraining order preventing him from approaching them or their residence. The father was granted permission to relist the proceedings to adduce evidence regarding allegations of violence, abusive behaviour, and drug abuse.