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BRISTOL
EVENING POST
BRISTOL EVENING POST
11:00 - 28 July 2003
"Angry Fathers Stage Demonstration"
BY CLAIRE SNOOK
Fathers angry at a lack of access to their children yesterday demonstrated
outside the home of one of Bristol's most prominent lawyers. David
Burrows,
who is chairman of the national Solicitors Family Law Association (SFLA),
came out to speak to the protesters after 30 people wearing bio-hazard
overalls surrounded his Redland home at about 5pm.
The quiet suburban street was sealed off with yellow hazard tape as
protesters from across the country set off air raid sirens and handed
out leaflets.
The demo was organised by a group called Fathers-4-Justice, and was
the culmination of the organisation's AGM, which was held in the city.
Stunned neighbours came out of their homes to see a clearly shocked
Mr Burrows talking to the angry crowd face-to-face.
At one stage the police were called but after speaking to both sides
the protest ended peacefully after about 60 minutes.
One of the organisers Glenn Poole, 33, who had travelled all the way
from Hackney, in London, said they had chosen Mr Burrows' house to
make the
most impact.
He said: "The organisation he chairs has 5,000 solicitors and
we want to make a statement in order to change the way things are run."
He banged on the solicitor's door until he answered and asked him why
the courts seemed to be in favour of mothers.
Mr Poole, who has a six-year-old daughter, claimed that fathers often
felt left out of their children's lives by court rulings.
He said that every day 100 children lose partial or total contact with
their fathers because of proceedings in the family courts.
Mr Burrows admitted there was an "unfairness within the system"
and added: "Contact orders should be enforced by courts and there
isn't enough being done to do this."
Mr Poole said the legal system was more about making money than helping
sort out custody disputes - a claim denied by Mr Burrows, who has a
law
practice in Park Street, Bristol.
He alleged: "I've seen some solicitors actively encourage and
wind up their clients to continue the case because that means more
money.
"They aren't out to help parents or their children, just to keep
the case going as long as possible."
Mr Burrows refuted the suggestion and said: "I provide advice
as a solicitor but ultimately I am there to take instruction from my
clients,
not to tell them what to do.
"If people feel as though they are being directed then they should
refer them back to me."
The demonstrators decided to dress up in protective overalls because
they claimed the group Mr Burrows chaired could "pose (a) health hazard
to your family".
Mr Burrows said: "I have been chairman of the SFLA since March
but have been a solicitor in family law for more than 30 years.
"Members of the SFLA believe it is important to settle family cases
and help people in these situations.
"I understand people reach a point where they feel frustrated and
want to make a point, and take extreme measures. I understand why."
© Northcliffe Electronic Publishing Ltd.
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