A Complete Unknown
£9.99Robert Albon, an unregulated sperm donor who claims to have fathered over 180 children globally, was recently denied increased parental rights for a child he fathered through natural insemination. Seeking parental control and contact with a girl born in 2023, Albon’s request was ultimately rejected by High Court judge Mr Justice Poole. The judge expressed concerns about Albon’s motivations, stating that the donor “seeks to control others” and has a history of moving on to other families.
In a 51-page judgment following a hearing in March, the family court in Middlesbrough addressed arrangements for the child, referred to as CA. Despite support for limited, indirect contact with Albon from the child’s mother and the local authority in the north-east of England, Albon sought parental responsibility and face-to-face contact, which was not granted. The court also dealt with a similar case involving another child fathered by Albon in 2022, known as CB, where the request for parental responsibility was also denied.
Judge Poole highlighted that women in the UK who utilized Albon’s services were primarily single, in same-sex relationships, or deemed vulnerable. Questioning Albon’s motives, the judge raised concerns about whether the donor felt compelled to reproduce and derive gratification from having numerous offspring. Additionally, it was noted that Albon engaged in litigious actions to control five out of the six women in England and Wales who had his children. Despite the possibility of re-registering CA’s birth certificate to declare Albon as the father, he was not granted parental responsibility or increased contact.
While Albon was permitted to send a letter or card once a year to CA through her mother’s discretion, the judge ordered the judgment to be forwarded to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority and the Home Office. Ultimately, the decision reflects concerns about Albon’s pattern of behavior and his tendency to move on to other families when it suits him, as evidenced in his previous actions
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