Deirdre Fottrell QC and Marlene Cayoun acted on behalf of the Coram Children’s Legal Centre and the Association of Lawyers for Children in the Court of Appeal case of Re K and H (Children) [2015] EWCA Civ 543.

The decision was handed down on 22nd May 2015. The Lord Chancellor had appealed against the order of HHJ Bellamy directing HMCTS to pay the costs of a legal representative in circumstances where a child was to be cross-examined about alleged sexual abuse by the purported perpetrator, who was otherwise acting in person. The Court allowed the appeal, holding that there was no power under which the judge could have done so, but said that there may in future be circumstances in which Convention rights are conflicted and urged consideration for statutory reform.