Dozens of Suffolk dads in national demo

MORE than 80 Suffolk fathers travelled to London today, to join a nation-wide protest.

Members for the Fathers 4 Justice Group were trying to highlight the 'unfair' treatment fathers receive in child custody cases.

The protestors gathered at Trafalgar Square at 11.30am and planned a protest outside the Royal Courts of Justice in The Strand.

Angry fathers believe that Children and Family Courts Advisory Support Services, CAFCASS, employ under-qualified staff, destroy families and discriminate against fathers.

An estimated 1,000 protestors from across Britain were due to protest outside the CAFCASS headquarters in Great New Street.

The Suffolk based group call themselves The Dads Army and some members travelled through central London in a tank.

Fathers for Justice were set up last December but now has more than 4,000 members.

At today's protest fathers with drums, air horns, whistles and flags marched through London watched by a large police presence.

This latest march follows previous protests where members of the group have dressed up a Father Christmas and Elvis Presley to gain publicity.

Yesterday in another stunt two men dressed as Batman and Robin and climbed onto the roof of The Royal Courts of Justice to protest over the treatment of fathers in the family courts.

Group spokesmen Glen Poole, said the men were called themselves 'The Caped Crusaders for Justice'. The men intend to remain on top of the building for a week and have taken food, clothes and bedding with them.

A statement from CAFCASS said: "Contrary to the groups allegations that CAFCASS practitioners are under-trained, our practitioners are qualified in social work with experience of working with children and families in either a social services or family court background."

"Far from destroying families as asserted by Fathers for Justice, CAFCASS plays a roll in helping families come to an agreement of future arrangements that are in the best interest of children."