Claire Throssell's two sons, Jack and Paul, were murdered by their father Darren Sykes ten years ago. Sykes lured the boys, aged 12 and nine, to the attic with sweets and a new train set before barricading the house and starting 14 fires. He had locked all doors and secured patio doors with a heavy bike lock, using furniture to slow down firefighters.
Throssell had warned the family courts that Sykes was capable of killing the boys, citing his history of violence and threats of suicide. Despite this, contact was awarded. She now says she 'doesn't live, but exists' and is fighting to ensure her children's voices are heard and to prevent further tragedies.
Throssell's case is not isolated. A recent example involved serial rapist Kristoffer Paul Arthur White, who was granted unsupervised contact with his daughter. A study by the Shera research group found that in ten anonymous family court cases involving allegations of child sexual abuse, fathers ultimately won some form of contact, including overnight stays.
Women's Aid's Child First campaign highlighted 19 children killed in circumstances involving unsafe child contact. An expert panel set up by the Ministry of Justice made 72 recommendations in 2020 to prioritise safety over contact, but progress has been 'incredibly slow', according to Sophie Francis-Cansfield of Women's Aid.
Throssell, who originally turned to the family courts for protection, says she trusted them to see sense. She is now calling for a 'true overhaul' of the system, vowing to continue her campaign despite the personal toll.
