Dear Editor,
After months of battling to survive under harsh and traumatizing conditions, a Zimbabwean 16 year old lad who is the grandson of a famous pastor held “captive” by the UK authorities, has suffered a mental breakdown due to post traumatic stress resulting from lack of professional and medical support, after being attacked, stabbed and apparently molested and neglected under the care of UK authorities since May 2015.
For months, his mother has been legally campaigning to get her son psychiatrically assessed to establish impact of the trauma he has been subjected to while in the care of the LB of Sutton, but her appeal fell onto deaf ears. The UK authorities were and are still determined to cover up their failures to exercise duty of care and to avoid financial litigation. They are therefore prepared to sacrifice the life of the Zimbabwean lad.
The mother has been barred from entering the UK and has been threatened with imprisonment for speaking out about her son. Her son is suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, depression and anxiety but has received no medical attention since May 2015.
A court order has been issued, to block any contact between the lad and his family and relatives.
Yesterday 04.02.2016, the mother just received the email below sent by the boy’s solicitor apparently representing the wishes and interests of the lad, which indicates that the lad has finally been admitted in a mental health hospital.
This email was sent to the assistant of the judge presiding over this case.
What is alarming is that the solicitor, Mr (name withheld), is more concerned about the court hearing going on as usual instead of the welfare of the lad. He is a lot more worried about loss of his income in the absence of court hearings.
Read this for yourself:
“Dear MS Knight
I write to inform you of a development in this case which I respectfully consider needs to be drawn to the attention of Mr. Justice McDonald, as well as to all parties (to whom this email is copied).
The Zimbabwean Lad snatched by the UK Authorities was compulsory detailed yesterday evening (3rd February) under Section 2 of the Mental Health Act 1983. He has today been conveyed to Springfield Hospital.
I anticipate that my colleagues who deal with mental health work will be instructed to make an Appeal to the Mental Health Review Tribunal as a matter of urgency.
This email is sent for His Lordship’s information only at this stage; I do not invite His Lordship to make any particular Directions arising out of it at this time.
It will still be important that the Lad is able to attend the Hearing on Friday 12th February. I would hope that any Mental Health Review Tribunal Hearing could take place prior to that date.
In the event that the Lad is still subject to compulsory detention under the Mental Health Act on 12th February, I am not sure whether any formal Order will be needed to arrange his production at the Hearing. If so, I shall write separately.
Whether the Lad remains in compulsory detention or not, I would respectfully suggest that the Local Authority will need to produce an updated interim plan for his care and (if appropriate) treatment in time for the Hearing on 12th February. If the outcome of any Appeal against the detention is not known at that stage, I would suggest that this needs to be on alternative bases. I hope that the Local Authority will do this without the need for formal direction.
I am now being led by Andrew Bagchi QC in this case, and have therefore copied him into the email as well. By coincidence Andrew Bagchi QC and I met with him for a pre-arranged conference this morning. For the avoidance of doubt, we are both of the view that he remains entirely competent to understand the proceedings and to give instructions.
Yours sincerely
Gordon Reed
Karen Price
Legal Secretary
Direct Dial: 0208 532 7019
Sternberg Reed
Focal House | 12-18 Station Parade | Barking | Essex | IG11 8DN
Tel: 020 8591 3366 Fax: 020 8594 4606 DX: 8501 BARKING”
The lad, who has been deprived of education since May 2015, has seen himself spending days and nights in isolation, while other children were going to normal schools. He was cut off from the rest of his family.
The Zimbabwean lad  was recently forced to sign this Agreement against his wishes and feelings:
WRITTEN AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
LONDON BOROUGH OF SUTTON
AND
ZIMBABWEAN LAD
ON 15 December 2015
1. The Local Authority shall:
(a) Investigate all the options for the interim care of (the Lad) to include Children’s Homes and foster carers, and connected persons options put forward by The Lad
(b) Instruct Holibrook Residential Homes NOT to provide any updates to Lad’s mother xxx or communicate with her in any other way. The Local Authority shall provide daily updates in respect of The Lad’s wellbeing to his mother xxx.
2. The Lad shall
(a) NOT abscond from the placement arranged by the Local Authority
(b) shall abide by a curfew to remain in his placement between 10:00pm weekends and 9:00pm week days and 7:00am each morning
3. The Local Authority shall investigate any complaint made by the Lad in his placement and notify him of any outcome.
4. If the placement breaks down the Local Authority use their best endeavours to immediately secure alternative placement, and in any event shall convene an urgent placement meeting.
5. The Lad will be provided with travel and pocket money to enable him to go out during the day, subject to review in the event the Local Authority consider that there has been an abuse of this by the Lad
Signed: Signed:
(NAME WITHHELD), Social Worker Zimbabwean Lad

And yet, the UN Convention on rights of children states,
Article 19
1. States Parties shall take all appropriate legislative, administrative, social and educational measures to protect the child from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse, while in the care of parent(s), legal guardian(s) or any other person who has the care of the child.
2. Such protective measures should, as appropriate, include effective procedures for the establishment of social programmes to provide necessary support for the child and for those who have the care of the child, as well as for other forms of prevention and for identification, reporting, referral, investigation, treatment and follow-up of instances of child maltreatment described heretofore, and, as appropriate, for judicial involvement.
Article 39
States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to promote physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration of a child victim of: any form of neglect, exploitation, or abuse; torture or any other form of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; or armed conflicts. Such recovery and reintegration shall take place in an environment which fosters the health, self-respect and dignity of the child.
Article 25
States Parties recognize the right of a child who has been placed by the competent authorities for the purposes of care, protection or treatment of his or her physical or mental health, to a periodic review of the treatment provided to the child and all other circumstances relevant to his or her placement.
Article 28
1. States Parties recognize the right of the child to education, and with a view to achieving this right progressively and on the basis of equal opportunity
Article 3
1. In all actions concerning children, whether undertaken by public or private social welfare institutions, courts of law, administrative authorities or legislative bodies, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration.
2. States Parties undertake to ensure the child such protection and care as is necessary for his or her well-being, taking into account the rights and duties of his or her parents, legal guardians, or other individuals legally responsible for him or her, and, to this end, shall take all appropriate legislative and administrative measures.
3. States Parties shall ensure that the institutions, services and facilities responsible for the care or protection of children shall conform with the standards established by competent authorities, particularly in the areas of safety, health, in the number and suitability of their staff, as well as competent supervision.
Article 5
States Parties shall respect the responsibilities, rights and duties of parents or, where applicable, the members of the extended family or community as provided for by local custom, legal guardians or other persons legally responsible for the child, to provide, in a manner consistent with the evolving capacities of the child, appropriate direction and guidance in the exercise by the child of the rights recognized in the present Convention.
Article 6
1. States Parties recognize that every child has the inherent right to life.
2. States Parties shall ensure to the maximum extent possible the survival and development of the child.
Article 9
3. States Parties shall respect the right of the child who is separated from one or both parents to maintain personal relations and direct contact with both parents on a regular basis, except if it is contrary to the child’s best interests.
Article 16
1. No child shall be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with his or her privacy, family, or correspondence, nor to unlawful attacks on his or her honour and reputation.
2. The child has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.
Article 33
States Parties shall take all appropriate measures, including legislative, administrative, social and educational measures, to protect children from the illicit use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances as defined in the relevant international treaties, and to prevent the use of children in the illicit production and trafficking of such substances.
One starts to wonder, whether the UN Convention on Rights of Children and the Hague Convention are there to genuinely safeguard the rights of children or to enable States to abuse children in the name of protecting their wishes and feelings……