A barrister jailed for failing to pay child maintenance has been released.
Michael Cox, 43, from Hythe, Hampshire, was jailed for 42 days at the end of June for failing to pay £43,000 owed to the Child Support Agency.
Fathers 4 Justice protesters and his 13-year-old son protested outside Bristol Prison, demanding his release.
Mr Cox was released on bail by a judge at Bristol Crown Court on Thursday, and is now planning to challenge the decision to commit him to prison.
Legal advisor
He said: "The tragic irony of this case is that the only time I have been unable to care for my children is when the state removed me from them.
"I have suffered the trauma of being locked in solitary confinement for no good reason and naturally I have been anxious about the welfare of my children and family."
He maintains that, because his children live with him half of the time, he should not have to pay.
In court Mr Cox's ex-wife, Lesley Peach, begged magistrates not to jail him, arguing that she would not be able to work without Cox looking after their children.
Mr Cox is a legal adviser to Fathers 4 Justice.
Friday, July 06, 2007
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
PURPLE RIBBONS PUT UP AS FATHER HELD IN JAIL
10:40 - 03 July 2007
Fathers' rights campaigners have been putting up purple ribbons in the city.Members of Fathers4Justice (F4J) returned to Bristol Prison yesterday to renew their campaign about the imprisonment of Michael Cox, who is serving time in the jail for failing to make payments to the Child Support Agency.
Mr Cox, a barrister for the movement, was sentenced to 42 days in prison last week, but he was moved from Dorchester prison in Dorset to Bristol due to security issues.
On Sunday around 60 campaigners gathered outside the prison in Horfield and even stormed the entrance.And yesterday they tied a purple ribbon around the sign for the prison as a sign of their support for Mr Cox, before heading to the Clifton Suspension Bridge to tie ribbons on the landmark.
Nigel Ace, Bristol spokesman for F4J, said: "We went to the bridge because it is the symbol of F4J in Bristol because we carried out action there before."It also shows that we are trying to bridge the gap that exists for equality. Purple is the colour of unity."F4J is to continue its campaign of protests over Mr Cox, who they claim has been made a "Guantanamo dad", and an example for other fathers.
Pictured is Mr Ace putting up purple ribbons on the Clifton Suspension Bridge.
Monday, July 02, 2007
PROTESTERS RALLY BEHIND JAILED DAD
10:40 - 02 July 2007
Campaigners for a father jailed for failing to make child support payments have staged a protest outside Bristol prison.Michael Cox, a barrister for Fathers4Justice, was sentenced to 42 days in jail despite arguing he should not have to pay child support because he looked after his children for half the week.
About 60 people gathered outside the prison in Cambridge Road, Horfield, to protest for his release.Nigel Ace, a spokesman for the fathers' rights group, said at one point the protesters stormed the prison entrance.
He said: "The protest today was a show of solidarity. We actually stormed the prison, got into reception, but couldn't get any further."So we stayed there and shouted "free Michael", before going round to his window on the other side of the building, where he shouted down to us."The father-of-five was jailed by magistrates in Southampton, where he lives.
It is understood Cox's son Matthew, 13, was among those protesting .Mr Cox has joint custody of his sons, he argued that because he pays for his children when he's caring for them he shouldn't be treated as an absent father by the Child Support Agency. But he was jailed for failing to pay £46,000 he owed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUg6PZ3tfDU
In court Mr Cox's ex-wife, Lesley Peach, begged magistrates not to jail him, arguing that she would not be able to work without Cox looking after their children.
Campaigners for a father jailed for failing to make child support payments have staged a protest outside Bristol prison.Michael Cox, a barrister for Fathers4Justice, was sentenced to 42 days in jail despite arguing he should not have to pay child support because he looked after his children for half the week.
About 60 people gathered outside the prison in Cambridge Road, Horfield, to protest for his release.Nigel Ace, a spokesman for the fathers' rights group, said at one point the protesters stormed the prison entrance.
He said: "The protest today was a show of solidarity. We actually stormed the prison, got into reception, but couldn't get any further."So we stayed there and shouted "free Michael", before going round to his window on the other side of the building, where he shouted down to us."The father-of-five was jailed by magistrates in Southampton, where he lives.
It is understood Cox's son Matthew, 13, was among those protesting .Mr Cox has joint custody of his sons, he argued that because he pays for his children when he's caring for them he shouldn't be treated as an absent father by the Child Support Agency. But he was jailed for failing to pay £46,000 he owed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUg6PZ3tfDU
In court Mr Cox's ex-wife, Lesley Peach, begged magistrates not to jail him, arguing that she would not be able to work without Cox looking after their children.
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