Big Geordie

Caught a story on Teletext last night. It concerns a fella who acted as a sperm donor for a lesbian couple who wished to have a baby. He was promised at the time (by the couple I assume) that he wouldn't be persued to help financially. However it now seems that he is being made to pay Child Support by the CSA, despite him having next to no rights with regards to the child.

Harsh or not ? Seems so to me, but then again I know that the CSA always go for the easy targets . My mother used to work for the agency and confirmed that to me. However this case is somewhat of an unusual situation...

msteuk

Hasn't the law changed recently, such that donors now have full legal responsibility? Seem to remember it being in the news a year back or so. This could be the first high profile case.

Bit stupid if it's true, because all it will do is discourage donors, to the detriment of couples like that who rely on them to have a child.

RedRob

Stupid if true, is only going to stop all donors. And if he was promised at the time then surely then that should stick, and any new law should only apply for new cases? DO you have a link to the story away from teletext?

Semi Skilled Milk

Without know the full story it's hard to make a proper judgement. But it sounds utterly ridiculous on the face of it.

benkeat

only hope they can't back date this and ask people who have donated in the past to start paying.

DOOMED i would be.

Sir Bert Preast

So much for common sense.

San Starko

BBC Story on it, seems that if it's done through a fertility clinic then the donor wouldn't have to pay child support. But if it's arranged any other way then they're paying up.

Synthahols_for_Girls

Think the point that has been missed is that this "donation" happened as a private arrangement without the involvement of a clinic

A sperm donor in an IVF clinic has no legal responsibilities
However this bloke either had a handy shandy into a turky baster or boffed the bints with the intention of getting them pregnant,

Also for the CSA to have become involved, the two women must have been seeking more than just the standard child benifit & child tax credits in state hand outs

Razzler

Did he knock one of them up or his sperm was obtained from a sperm bank ?

I doubt I'd donate sperm but to be liable for child support for donating is ridiculous beyond words

Razzler

I thought that might be it. Not sure how the CSA works, would the lesbian couple have to make a case to effectively claim they want support ? Should have got it written up all legal and stuff