What Actually Happened That Night

[Miss Mid-City]

Interesting analysis, Ms Bubbles.

I think in that split second Helen was trying to stop Rob hurting Henry.

A also agree that the evidence of Rob’s abuse is so scant it’s just not reliable. The people who can give first hand evidence about his domestic abuse are Helen and Jess – unless someone else comes forward. With Helen, I think she’d be hard to believe. And with Jess, I wonder if she would be challenged because she’s an ex-wife and might be perceived as bitter. If Rob also tells the prosecution about baby Ethan and that Jess was desperate for the child to be his, that might also undermine her. I think they’d want to show her as being a bit obsessive, possibly wanting to get back at Rob and “punish” him for leaving her and then playing with her feelings by leading her on and having sex with her after their separation. We don’t even know what Jess says he did to her beyond suggesting that he was controlling.

There are a lot of people who would think that stabbing a controlling partner is an over-reaction. People will also ask the question, “If he was so cruel and manipulative, why didn’t she just leave?” not only in relation to Helen but also in relation to Jess.

[Ms Bubbles]

She does appear to be in trouble.
But there is evidence she was leaving, half packed bag and Kirsty’s statement.
And if she was leaving, what would be her motivation for wanting to kill Rob? Maybe the prosecution will say she wanted to kill him and quickly skip the country or that she changed her mind and decided to kill him instead of leaving.
Don’t know.

Anyway, Miss Mid City, I have been wondering and maybe you can help me, if Rob were to survive and they divorce, what rights does he have with respect to access to Henry. Rob made it sound as if the step-parent thingy was the same as adoption but it that right? And do any rights only apply while he remains married to Helen?

[Miss Mid-City]

Ms Bubbles

The step-parental responsibility order that Rob has puts him in the same position as if he had adopted Henry or if Henry were his biological child. The order gives him “parental responsibility” which means “all the rights, duties, powers, responsibilities and authority which by law a parent has in relation to his or her child”.

Rob is like any other parent (whether biological or step-parent or adopted parent) whether they remain together, end up separated or divorced.

Between the two of them they might be able to agree “access” as you put it (now known as “child arrangements”) without needing to involve lawyers. They can agree something suitable themselves about where Henry will lives, how often and when he should spend time with the parent he doesn’t live with.

If they can’t agree and mediation doesn’t work they will end up in court. It’s then up to a district judge to decide the issues – where Henry should live, how often he should see his other parent and so on. So far, Henry is in the care of his grandparents and they might also want to have a say in this. Rob has parental responsibility and thereby an automatic right to bring this kind of matter to court, whereas Pat and Tony, the grandparents, do not. Also, at the moment, the local authority are involved (there’s been talk of Children’s Services and a social worker) but as far as I’m aware they haven’t sought any court orders.

So, in answer to your questions (!), on divorce Rob has the same rights as any divorced parent with respect to access to Henry. The step-parental “thingy” (!) is pretty much the same as adoption. Under the step parental responsibility order his rights as a step parent apply even after he and Helen are not married. However, the order can come to an end by making an application for it to be discharged or when Henry reaches 18 (when he’s no longer a “child”) or if Henry dies.

It all starts to become a bit “knotty” and, as ever, I wait to see how the script writers handle it.

[Jim O’Hara]

Holy Cow, Miss Mis City, that parental order sounds like the dumbest thing Helen ever did. It was granted after she knew Rob was evil as well.

Plot prediction- Ursula and Bruce will demand that Henry come and stay with them in Blossom Hill Cottage so he can be closer to his dad during recovery. Rob recovers enough to take control of Henry while Helen is still in jail. He isolates Henry from Pat and Tony, maybe even moves away. Later, they actually will send Henry to Boarding school while Helen is in jail just to enrage her.

I think this is all possible since grandparents have no rights AFAIK.

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