Why do I worry about John Hemming?

This is a post by Sarah Phillimore

It seems that a lot of people genuinely have no idea about the full extent of John Hemming’s activities and the kind of people he supports. I am often asked on Twitter and elsewhere – but why don’t you support John Hemming? He does so much good and has exposed so much wrong doing?

So I am going to collect here the reasons why, so if I am asked that question again, my response can be speedy and efficient.

I accept that John Hemming has done some good for the family law system. I accept for example that he was right to be concerned about applications to send people to prison which were not being publicised or reported. He was right to be concerned about LA’s historic ignorance of and failure to comply with the Vienna Convention.

But. But. But. The harm he has done by his promotion of and support for the most malignant of the conspiracy cottage industry fantasists I am afraid far outweighs the good. And what is worse, he keeps on going and now appears to be the voice of our country to the European Parliament.

This is not right. This is not acceptable. This is positively dangerous.

But don’t take my word for it. Read these links and make up your own mind. I will probably be adding to this list

HIs historic activities

http://www.ministryoftruth.me.uk/2011/04/27/hemming-an-abuse-of-privilege/

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2007/aug/08/hemmingsway

His distortion and misreporting of important cases

http://www.headoflegal.com/2013/12/04/booker-hemming-and-the-forced-caesarian-case-a-masterclass-in-flat-earth-news/

http://www.pinktape.co.uk/cases/never-let-the-facts-get-in-the-way-of-a-good-story-eh/

https://childprotectionresource.online/the-woeful-state-of-our-debate-about-child-protection-part-ii/

Including his eagerness to make serious accusations with no evidence in abuse of his position

http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2008/462.html.

See in particular para 88 of that judgment:

I find it not only unacceptable but shocking, that a man in Mr Hemming’s position should feel able to make so serious an allegation without any evidence to support it. In my judgment, it is irresponsible and an abuse of his position. Unfortunately, as other aspects of this judgment will make clear, it is not the only part of the case in which Mr Hemming has been willing to scatter unfounded allegations of professional impropriety and malpractice without any evidence to support them.

His support for Belinda McKenzie and Sabine McNeill

https://theneedleblog.wordpress.com/2015/03/27/hampstead-mckenzie-friends-and-terence-ewing/

https://theneedleblog.wordpress.com/2015/04/26/why-i-do-not-support-john-hemming/

https://hoaxteadresearch.wordpress.com/2015/08/03/amber-hartman-v-confidentiality/

[And if you don’t know why these women are dangerous, read the judgment in the P and Q case or this blog post by Barrister Blogger.]

 

His association with Ian Josephs and others of questionable repute

https://childprotectionresource.online/helping-parents-leave-the-jurisdiction/

 

He gives vulnerable people really bad advice

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/liberal-democrat-mp-john-hemming-tells-parents-suspected-of-child-abuse-to-flee-because-they-can-t-9054716.html

Some credible people seem to accept him as legitimate

https://childprotectionresource.online/censorship-and-the-protection-of-commercial-interests-the-woeful-state-of-our-debate-about-protecting-children/

https://childprotectionresource.online/the-woeful-state-of-our-debate-part-iv/

https://twitter.com/pennylilac/status/662787454085255168

http://www.marilynstowe.co.uk/2015/08/19/adoption-a-look-at-the-statistics-by-john-hemming/

And his refusal to ever accept that he has done anything unwise or wrong…

https://twitter.com/SVPhillimore/status/673292636820754433

 

EDIT. John Hemming is concerned that I ‘misrepresent his views’ about my claim that the refuses to accept wrongdoing over his patronage of Sabine McNeill and Belinda McKenzie.

Apparently he had no idea what they were up to prior to January 2015 and therefore should not be criticised for failing to withdraw earlier as their patron.

So the questions must be now:

  • if you DID NOT know what they were up to before 2015, despite your longstanding involvement with Sabine McNeill, why didn’t you? and
  • if you DID NOT know what they were up to, why on earth did you offer them your patronage without at least some cursory investigation of their activities?

Read what Sabine was up to in 2011. And how commentators Avalon111 and Jimmy were able to recognise what John Hemming apparently cannot.

As of May 2016, Sabine doesn’t seem to realise she has been cut adrift by John Hemming. Her support for him remains strong.

EDIT December 2018

Hoaxstead Research are covering the trial of Sabine McNeil for the breach of her restraining order which attempted to stop her continued harassment of the parents in the Hampstead case. Read here Sabine’s own account of the support and encouragement given to her by Hemming in her battle against the secret family courts.

 

So yes, I am afraid I remain really worried about John Hemming.