MR JUSTICE HAYDEN:
1.This case comes before me as a fact-finding hearing, in the context of public law care proceedings. I am concerned with R, who was born in May 2022. The mother (M) is CW, the father (F), CC. Proceedings were issued on the 17th May 2022. The fact-finding hearing was listed for 5 days, commencing on the 13th February 2023. Though the case does not present issues which would ordinarily require it to be transferred to the High Court, I agreed to hear it to assist the local court and because there was, manifestly, a need for the allegations to be determined. 2.The case papers characterise the case as “a single-issue case”. If such cases do exist, in the context of public law care proceedings, they are extremely rare. I do not consider this to be one of them. The index allegation is that F had sexually assaulted M’s 12-year-old sister (Z), on 21st February 2022.