Alistair G Perkins > 4PB > London, England > Barrister Profile

Alistair G Perkins

020 7427 5200 clerks@4pb.com View profile

Position

Alistair has now amassed over 30 years experience of court work involving children and vulnerable adults. Nearly all of his work is now in the High Court and a significant proportion involves complex issues with international elements. He has considerable experience in relation to child abduction involving countries that are and are not signatures to the 1980 or 1996 Hague Conventions. He regularly appears in cases involving issues arising from Brussels IIa or the 1996 Hague convention. Several cases that he has been involved in have featured in the national media.

Reported cases: JK (A Child), Re (Domestic Abuse: Finding of Fact Hearing) [2021] EWHC 1367 (Fam) (21 May 2021); Re G (Abduction: Consent/Discretion) [2021] EWCA Civ 139; AH v CD & Ors (2018) [2018] EWHC 2322 (Fam); W v L (Forum Conveniens) (2019) [2019] EWHC 1995 (Fam); R v P (No. 2) (2019) [2019] EWHC 2175 (Fam); Re X (A Child) (Female Genital Mutilation Protection Order) (2018) [2018] EWCA Civ 1825; Egeneonu v Egeneonu & Anor (2018) [2018] EWHC 1392 (Fam); Egeneonu v Egeneonu & Anor (2018) [2018] EWHC 1392 (Fam); Re X (A Child) (Female Genital Mutilation Protection Order) (Restrictions on Travel) (2017) [2017] EWHC 2898 (Fam); S (A Child) (Article 16 and 18 BIIa and Article 19 EU Service Regulation) (2017) [2017] EWHC 3768 (Fam); FE v MR & Ors (2017) [2017] EWHC 2298 (Fam); Re B (A Child by her Guardian) (2017) [2017] EWHC 488 (Fam); R v P (2017) [2017] EWHC 1804 (Fam); Re X (A Child) (2017) [2017] EWHC 158 (Fam); Egeneonu v Egeneonu (2017) [2017] EWHC 43 (Fam); Re W (Minors) [2016] [2016] EWHC 2226 (Fam); Re S (Child Abduction: Joinder of Siblings: Child’s Objections (2016) [2016] EWHC 1227 (Fam); FK v (1) ML (2) A (A Minor through his Solicitor Guardian) (2016) [2016] EWHC 517 (Fam); In the matter of B (A child) [2016] [2016] UKSC 4; QS v RS (2015) [2015] EWHC 4050 (Fam); Re B (A Child) (Habitual Residence: Inherent Jurisdiction) (2015); 
NA (Applicant) v (1) ZA (First Respondent) (2) A (3) K (4) Q (5) H (By their Children’s Guardian) (Respondents) & Croydon London Borough Council (Intervener) (2015) [2015] EWHC 2188 (Fam); Harrow London Borough Council v (1) Zainab Rasul (2) Mohammed Afzal (3) Farah Afzal (Through Her Childrens Guardian) (4) Nazma Rasul (5) Ali Rasul (2014) [2014] EWHC 3837 (Fam); Re B (A Child) (2014) [2014] EWCA Civ 843; Re LRP (A Child) (Care Proceedings – Placement Order) [2013] [2013] EWHC 3974 (Fam); A v A [2013] [2013] EWHC 3554 (Fam) (Judgment in respect of four children whom the father had been ordered to return to the jurisdiction from Pakistan. Interim care order made; In the matter of A (Children) (2013) [2013] UKSC 60 Supreme Court (Jurisdiction – habitual residence – child never physically present in England and Wales – whether the English court had jurisdiction by virtue of habitual residence – whether the English court had jurisdiction by virtue of Art 14 of BIIR); Re H (A Child: Summary Return: Child’s Objections) Abduction – mother abducted child from USA and moved to Wales – Art 13 defence of child’s objections – whether the child’s objections ought to be taken into account – whether the court should exercise its discretion to order a return; Re H, R and E (Children) [2013] [2013] EWHC 3857 (Fam) Application by father under the Hague Convention for the summary return of three children to the Netherlands. Arts 13a and 13b of the Convention argued by mother. Return order made; Joyce v Joyce [2013] [2013] EWHC 1353 (Fam) Finding of contempt of court for father in breach of orders to return children to Ireland. Sentenced to six months imprisonment; Re C (Adoption Proceedings: Change of Circumstances) [2013] EWCA Civ 431 Court of Appeal Adoption – paternity – father refused permission to oppose adoption order after discovering he was biological father of child – delay in obtaining transcript – adoption order granted – whether the father, who had never met the child, should be permitted to oppose the order; ZA & PA v NA (2012) [2012] EWCA Civ 1396 Court of Appeal – Abduction – habitual residence – four children detained in Pakistan against mother’s wishes – three children born in UK, youngest born in Pakistan – whether youngest child was habitually resident in the UK despite never being resident there; Doncaster MBC v Watson and Haigh [2012] 1 FLR 599 Doncaster MBC v Haigh, Tune and X (by the Children’s Guardian) [2012] 1 FLR 577 (contempt – sentencing – care proceedings – breach of reporting restriction order – disclosure – mother made false allegations of sexual abuse against father – widely circulated on the internet – application to place findings of no sexual abuse in the public domain); Re FH [2008] EWCA Civ 249 (dispensing with factfinding hearing), [2009] 1 FLR 349 Court of Appeal (factfinding hearing – abandoned as no longer necessary – relevant factors – need for clear findings); A Local Authority v K [2007] 2 FLR 914, Family Division (care proceedings findings of serious assaults by mother on her daughter – mother engaged in caring for vulnerable people – procedure for disclosure of information to employer and responsible local authority); Westminster CC v RA, B & S [2005] 2 FLR 1309, Family Division (procedure to be adopted when party claims substantial breach of convention right by local authority acting ultra vires – need to file care plan); Re C (Care: consultation with parent not in child’s best interests) [2006] 2 FLR 787, Family Division (declaration under inherent jurisdiction absolving local authority from statutory duty to consult/inform father of child in their care under s31 order); Re K (replacement of guardian ad litem) [2001] 1 FLR 663, Family Division (criteria for appointment of guardian ad litem – in private law proceedings); Re D (Jurisdiction: programme of assessment or therapy) [1999] 2 FLR 632, Court of Appeal (care proceedings assessment of mother under s38(6) CA 1989 correct test – whether therapy or assessment); Re K (Removal from Jurisdiction: practice) [1999] 2 FLR 1084, Court of Appeal (removal from jurisdiction to non-Hague Convention country for purposes of a holiday – practice to be adopted).

Career

Called 1986, Middle Temple; pupil supervisor Middle Temple 1994 to date.

Memberships

Family Law Bar Association; Association of lawyers for children.

Education

St John’s School, Leatherhead; Keele University (1985 BA Law and American Studies).

Leisure

Music, skiing, rugby, mountain biking, travel, member of Ski Club of Great Britain, YHA, CTC, National Trust.