Mr Justice Mostyn sitting on the last day before the Christmas vacation has just decided that Steven Neary shall be returned to his Father permanently in time for Christmas.

Steven, a 20 year old autistic man, has been deprived of his liberty for exactly a year, without charge, without evidence of mental illness; but after a spirited campaign by his devoted Father and represented by the excellent Amanda Weston of Tooks Chambers, common sense has prevailed.

In the opinion of the Official Solicitor, the application for a welfare deputyship made by Hillingdon Council, which would have allowed them to continue to ‘act in Steven’s best interests’ by preventing him returning to his home, was made purely and simply because Steven’s father had objected to being parted from his son.

Trinity Noir remain as suppliers of Steven’s care package and Hillingdon council will continue to be liable for their fees.

This young man has been deprived of his liberty for a full year. He won’t get any compensation. It is a total disgrace that this situation has taken a year to resolve, but the outcome will be heartening to many other families threatened with similar action by their local authority.

I will post a full report – when everyone has calmed down and done all their celebrating…..!

Thank-you to the incredible 2101 of you who re-tweeted the oringal post and alerted so many people to sign the petition. It all helped. You each have a small stake in this happy outcome.

Past posts on Steven Neary HERE and HERE.

Watershedd January
23, 2011 at 01:18

Brilliant! I spoke to my brother in the UK a few days ago and he did not
know what the outcome had been, so I’ll pass it along. With an autistic son
approaching 18, he has concerns about the legislation in this area himself.
Thankfully, there are many of them to help guide their son through life. AS
happy 2011 to Stephen and his father. They so deserve it.

rebecca mould
January 12, 2011 at 20:28

thank god he is home, it is so worrying, bless Stephen and hisfather, I
can’t imagine what both have been through, and worse the detrimental effect it
has on Stephen. I have just tucked my beautiful son Nathan into bed to sleep.
He is 4yrs and autistic, he is quirky and sometimes challenging but he is
perfect for us and we are perfect for him, when god gives you an autistic
child you work together and grow together as a team with love. It worries me
that such a lack of care and concern for Stephen and his father happened and
his human rights violated by a council so easily. It chills me and worries me
for all of our little acorns that we are supposed to have faith in our society
to support the members of society that can’t fight for themselves. Thank
goodness common sense prevailed. God bless them

Jules December 29,
2010 at 11:00

The Virtual Gherkin Site, all be it relatively new, put this story out on
request of here, and I’m GLAD that Success was achieved in this. I had phone
calls telling me petition was signed by people. May I thank people for looking
at this Urgent Case, and CELEBRATE the outcome.
This SHOULD never have
happened.

Peter Palladas
December 26, 2010 at 22:42

This has made my Christmas. Magnificent news.

Hillingdon should hang their heads in collective shame. Then they should
support and fully fund the transition home for Stephen and his father. As
others have mentioned the past year’s horrors will have left their mark. A
disgrace this ever happened. A great joy it is ending.

Melissa
CW December 23, 2010 at 10:30

So glad to hear this good news that will help good Christmas Cheer! heard
about it from @PXanthippou

Commonsense does triumph at times.

David N. Andrews M. Ed.,
C. P. S. E. December 23, 2010 at 08:52

“This young man has been deprived of his liberty for a full year. He
won’t get any compensation. It is a total disgrace that this situation has
taken a year to resolve, but the outcome will be heartening to many other
families threatened with similar action by their local authority.” (my
italics)

Total injustice. It amazes me that most ‘ornery folk’ are prepared to let
this sort of thing happen.

“In the opinion of the Official Solicitor, the application for a welfare
deputyship made by Hillingdon Council, which would have allowed them to
continue to ‘act in Steven’s best interests’ by preventing him returning to
his home, was made purely and simply because Steven’s father had objected to
being parted from his son.”

Best thing for anyone who has children with special needs of any sort:
leave Hillingdon all at once, and leave the a class action at the court
against the council (if this has happened once, it’s likely to have happened
on other occasions). Try to skint the town.

robbiethered
December 23, 2010 at 02:43

Indeed.

Signed, sealed and seconded.

Billy Bowden is the
greatest umpire ever ! December 22, 2010 at
23:21

Fuckin hell , The abuse of the powers passed down is a disgrce !!!

This country is rotten and disfigured .

I thought we was better than this ?

This is not aimed at any poster or owner of this site but aimed at our ”
Rulers”

ObiterJ December
22, 2010 at 23:13

An excellent outcome. Well done for raising the profile of this case. Would
be good if you could provide a link to Mostyn J’s decision – assuming it is
available.

Steve December 22,
2010 at 10:05

Great news! Hopefully the Neary’s can put this shocking series of events
behind them and have a great 2011.

Thank you for highlighting this injustice.

MRB December 22, 2010 at 07:12

Well done to all involved for bringing this sorry tale and sad enditement
of today’s society to a sensible and proper conclusion.

Subrosa December
22, 2010 at 03:23

Braw!

Giolla
Decair December 21, 2010 at 23:51

That’s fantastic news.

Alle December 21, 2010 at 23:06

The same Justice Mostyn who gave an LA ‘permission’ to banned me for a year
from contact with my 4 children taken from my family on a FALSE allegation
that was PROVEN FALSE – because I ‘challenge’ The LA over the unlawful keeping
of my children.

Oh and I film all the Social Workers ‘doing their job’ – over 300 hours in
7 months. Watch for ‘This Man is a Social Worker’ releasing soon ….

Catch the premier broadcast of ‘UK Social Services’ on Thursday 23 December
at 8:30 PM London time at http://ustream.tv/channel/uksocialservices

Elaine Kirk December 21, 2010 at 21:56

Thankyou for bringing this to the public’s attention Anna , I for one would
have been unaware if it wasn’t for you bringing it to the fore.
So glad
Stephen is going home and I hope him and his Dad are left alone to rebuild
.

Gloria Smudd
December 21, 2010 at 21:53

Perfect, I’d say!

Gloria Smudd
December 21, 2010 at 21:33

Hurrah! This lumpen-lass is thrilled to drop in on the site after an
exhaustion-based absence to read this! I am now confined to the comfy chair,
having attempted to click my heels together in delight. The floor-menders will
have to be summoned tomorrow and I will have to endure many red-raw hours
until the chafed and ripped inner thighs heal over, but even that cannot quell
my true delight. Hurrah!

Ed P December 21, 2010 at 21:39

Good to see you’re back, Gloria. I’d use E45 on those inner thighs – do
you need help applying it?

Gloria Smudd
December 21, 2010 at 21:44

Well Ed, I don’t bend in the middle as I used to so your kind offer is
most appreciated. If I were you under these circumstances, I’d tie an
E45-soaked flannel to a long stick, cover my eyes and wave away from a
that distance. Unless you are a very, very brave man.

Ed P December 21, 2010 at 21:50

No long sticks here I’m afraid – would a barge pole do?

Prodicus December
21, 2010 at 20:40

Brilliant. Well done Anna and co. and the good and just judge. Merry
Christmas to Steven and his pa.

Chief_Sceptic
December 21, 2010 at 20:30

Well, bugger me – a Judge exercising some “common dog” ! – and bloody well
done, that Raccoon, for publicising the issue …

I just wonder at how much the year away from will home, will have disturbed
poor Steven himself …

SS Bastards …

Anna
Raccoon December 21, 2010 at
20:43

You are very right Chief – a year in unfamilair surroundings will have
disturbed Steven no end. There will be a difficult road ahead for him and
his Father. Mark Neary is a remarkable man.

Mike December 21, 2010 at 19:46

Ms Raccoon
I suspect that you bringing this to public attention had no
small part in the decision. Well done!
Mike

Michael December 21, 2010 at 19:30

Good news indeed. Keep up the good work

The Filthy
Engineer December 21, 2010 at 19:11

Well done Anna.

Zaphod December 21, 2010 at 19:09

Anna, you are a star. If only the world had a few more like you.

sara December 21, 2010 at 19:03

Fantastic News

Jiks December 21, 2010 at 18:01

Great to hear this and well done to everyone who helped bring this
about.

berenike December
21, 2010 at 18:00

Hooray!

I did wonder also about what the other side of the story might be, but from
my own vicarious experience of family courts, social workers and the like, was
satisfied that any just case the council might have would not be hurt by
misguided hoo-ha, should it prove the council were in the right.

Matt December 21, 2010 at 17:17

Smoking
Hot December 21, 2010 at 17:14

l knew there was a Father Xmas!

JuliaM December
21, 2010 at 17:11

Fantastic news!

Pericles December 21, 2010 at 17:11

Hot diggety dog !

Well done, Anna :  what a quarterback !

(What PB and Andrew Withers said, too.)

ΠΞ

Ed P December 21, 2010 at 17:08

Well done Anna!

Good news amidst the gloom (shortest day, lunar eclipse & bloody
politicians).

robbiethered
December 21, 2010 at 16:53

Even the musical “Oliver” has barreals of “Old Tom” in the background as
Nancy dances her stuff. I say, virtual bottles of Old Tom all round.

This proves, beyond all reasonable doubt, that Steven should never have
been deprived of his Liberty, and that certain professionals are in fact, ALL
REET SHYSTERRRS!

(Oh, sorry, nearly forgot…

BEGORRAH! )

Clarissa December
21, 2010 at 16:48

Happy to hear it. Well done to all involved in overturning this travesty.
‘Tis nice to read such good news in the run up to Christmas.

Andrew P Withers
December 21, 2010 at 16:42

All credit to you Anna in high lighting this apalling abuse of the
vulnerable by the State.

Those Fabians who believe that they have the sole rights on compassion, and
that the State is a force for good should hang their heads in shame.

Al
Jahom December 21, 2010 at 16:38

Well done to all involved.

I have to admit that despite my initial outrage, I held my tongue about
this, after advice from someone who works in the field. There were just too
many questions that required an answer before I could jump in with both
feet.

I’m glad that this has turned out for the best, and it’s disgusting that it
went on for so long.

Cheers,
Al

liveotherwise December 21, 2010 at 16:34

Fantastic! Well done for publicising the case. (I will admit to having
tweeted it and bothered some MPs with it…hope it helped.)

PB December 21,
2010 at 16:34

Interesting that he won’t get any compensation given that Article 5 of the
European Convention on Human Rights creates a right to compensation for those
unlawfully deprived of their liberty. Would be interesting to hear whether the
courts thought the deprivation of liberty was lawful in the first place…

Timdog December
21, 2010 at 16:29

Great news, that’s awesome, rare cheer!

Ray December 21, 2010 at 16:26

Good news for once.