One in ten men could be victims of paternity fraud. I'm fighting for them ...not the money

The Daily Mail (U.K.) ^ | February 1, 2009 | Elizabeth Sanderson

[Stoat]

There was never going to be a good time. But when the truth finally emerged, it couldn’t have been at a more inopportune moment. Mark Webb was driving to work at eight in the morning when his wife Lydia rang.
 

‘I was in the fast lane of the M4 heading towards Reading,’ he recalls. ‘I picked up the call on the hands-free and said, “Hi, what’s the problem?” because Lydia wouldn’t normally call so early.
 

She said, “I’ve got something I need to tell you. You’re not the father of Elspeth. Dave Mottram is.” ’

It was a shattering revelation and one that set in motion an extraordinary chain of events.

For what might have been a painful but private matter became very public when Mark took his now ex-wife and her lover to court in a bid to claim compensation for the 17 years he had spent bringing up Elspeth, believing her to be his daughter.

Mark’s claim failed and ten days ago the Court of Appeal refused him permission to appeal against the ruling. Since then the ‘paternity fraud’ case has sparked a passionate debate about the rights of fathers.
 

(edit)
 

Now, in an exclusive interview, the 47-year-old production manager for an engineering company explains why he took the controversial and much-criticised decision to try to recoup the money he had spent bringing up Elspeth.

[Stoat]

My apologies for the severely-edited article post....this was done in order to remain in compliance with Free Republic posting rules pertaining to articles from the UK Daily Mail.  Please click on the main article link to see the full story.

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Determined: Mark Webb is taking his case to the European Court of Human Rights

 

Deceit: Lydia Webb today with her daughters Elspeth,(right) , now 22 and India (left)

Childhood fun: Elspeth, left, and her sister enjoy at day out at the fair

 

[Stoat]

It seems a very high price to pay, but Mark now has the zeal of a convert and intends to take his case to Europe. ‘It is a serious debate,’ he says. ‘At what point is a father entitled to know, for sure, that a child is his? Some statistics say that as many as one in ten men may be unaware they are not the real fathers of their children.
 

‘DNA can be used by the Government to catch a criminal and put him in prison 20 years later, but it can’t be used retrospectively to make a father pay for his child.
 

[BykrBayb]

Oh come on! There is no way he believed that girl was his daughter. Look at him, and look at her. No way.

[thecabal]

Oh yeah, the Jerry Springer method of paternity identification, works every time.

[ltc8k6]

Well, that likely wouldn’t have done him any good, claiming he wasn’t the father...

Heck, it often doesn’t work even if you can prove you aren’t actually the father...

He should sue the biological father to recover the money he spent raising his daughter for him.

[cherry]

this man is right....all men should have their dna on file somewhere and every child should be dna'd so we all know who the bio fathers are.....

just think of the fathers who won't have to be fathers anymore, and just think of all the men who will owe back child support....

bottom line is...MAKE THEM PAY!

/sarcasm/

[SeeSharp]

I understand he’s upset and he has a right to be, but that was a pretty ugly thing to do to the girl he raised as his daughter.

[Stoat]

all men should have their dna on file somewhere and every child should be dna'd so we all know who the bio fathers are.....

You're being sarcastic, but your scenario is not so far from reality.  This Free Republic thread from November 2007 may be of interest

Police hold DNA of 4.5m Britons - adding 1m to database over just 10 months

[rfreedom4u]

What about all the men who want children but are denied any say in the aborting of the child? If a woman wants to kill the baby he has no say. But if she gives birth he is responsible for support. Men have less rights.

[Stoat]

I understand he’s upset and he has a right to be, but that was a pretty ugly thing to do to the girl he raised as his daughter.

From the article:

When the case started, Elspeth was not involved. The request for repayment went only to Lydia and Mr Mottram. I refused to talk to the children about it and didn’t call them as witnesses in court because neither I nor my lawyers thought it was right. It was Lydia’s team who called Elspeth.’

Of course, it would be naive to think that she would 'never' find out what had happened.  It's a sad situation all 'round.

[Darkwolf377]

What’s interesting about these kinds of cases to me is that they’re the only case where the victim is always considered a jerk for standing up for his rights, and for the fact that one of the most sacred connections in his life has been a lie.

The children are not victims, but no one ever says “You’re hurting the children so buck up” when people file for divorce when a spouse has been lying or cheating on them, for example. If a man revealed he had an illegitimate child with another woman, EVERYONE would be shouting “You go, girl!” if he divorced him.

Yet here is a man whose life has been damaged in a way like no other, and to many people HE’s the jerk.

Of course no one likes it when the kids get hurt, but the father-child relationship is so devalued in this culture, except as a way to pillory men, again.

This kind of movement is always ugly in the beginning. But if women are going to routinely ruin men’s lives, they have to learn there will be a reckoning.

I don’t think this guy is a jerk; I think the happy, loving mom we see smiling in the photo with her kids is the true villain in this piece, and should be treated as such.

[ltc8k6]

Mom did it, not him. She is the deceiver and the cause of the situation.

[BykrBayb]

Well no, I was using the Sesame Street Method ™.

Three of these things belong together
Three of these things are kind of the same
Can you guess which one of these doesn't belong here?
Now it's time to play our game (time to play our game).

One of these things is not like the others,
One of these things just doesn't belong,
Can you tell which thing is not like the others
By the time I finish my song?

Did you guess which thing was not like the others?
Did you guess which thing just doesn't belong?
If you guessed this one is not like the others,
Then you're absolutely...right!

[Gondring]

Three of these things belong together
Three of these things are kind of the same
Can you guess which one of these doesn't belong here?
Now it's time to play our game (time to play our game).

One of these things is not like the others,
One of these things just doesn't belong,
Can you tell which thing is not like the others
By the time I finish my song?

Did you guess which thing was not like the others?
Did you guess which thing just doesn't belong?
If you guessed this one is not like the others,
Then you're absolutely...right!

That's easy...the one on the right is a guy.

[Gondring]

Mom did it, not him. She is the deceiver and the cause of the situation.

...and the one who brought the daughter into it, as well.

[BykrBayb]

LOL. Yep, and when that guy mated with the brunette in the center of the other photo, the result was a fair skinned, blonde haired, blued eyed little girl. Sure, it could happen.

[NoControllingLegalAuthority]

It might be a good idea to marry a woman with some morals and, only then, have sexual intercourse with her....but, hey, call me crazy for suggesting something ridiculous like that!

[djf]

If a guy marries a gal and she cheats on him, it’s both their fault.
If a gal marries a guy and he cheats on her, it’s both their fault.

Nuff said. No other way you can explain it - both parties failed.

[djf]

Many Caucasian children are blond. I believe some of the genes that control pigments do not get triggered until puberty.

[Slings and Arrows]

Every time I read an article like this, the prospect of marriage becomes less and less attractive.