Case No.  SL13P00391 
IN THE READING COUNTY COURT
160-163 Friar Street
Reading RG1 1HE
Date Thursday, 3rd October 2013

Before:

HIS HONOUR JUDGE EVERALL QC
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B E T W E E N :

DEBORAH BALL	Applicant

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NEIL PHILIP SHEPSTONE	Respondent

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MR. BRYDEN appeared on behalf of the Applicant.

The Respondent did not appear and was not represented.
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J U D G M E N T (Approved)

HIS HONOUR JUDGE EVERALL:

1.	The order will be that upon hearing counsel for the applicant mother, Deborah Ball, and upon there being no appearance by the respondent father, Neil Shepstone, and upon the court being satisfied that

(i) the respondent was served with the order dated 15th July 2013 (see the certificate of service dated 25th July 2013); 
(ii) the respondent has failed to file with the court and serve on the applicant a statement of means in Form E by 12th August 2013 or at all, as required by paragraph 1 of the order dated 15th July; 
(iii) the Respondent was served with the committal application dated 28th August 2013 (see the certificate of service dated 16th September 2013);   
(iv) the respondent has been guilty of contempt of court by failing to comply with paragraph 1 of the order dated 15th July 2013; it is ordered that 

(1) the respondent, Neil Philip Shepstone, be committed to prison for a period of fourteen days. 
(2) The committal order is suspended until 4 p.m. on 14th October 2013, and will not be put in force if during that time the respondent files with the court and serves on the applicant a statement of means in Form E. 
(3)  In the event of           non-compliance any application for issue of the warrant should be made to a Judge. 
(4) Paragraph 2 of the order dated 15th July shall be varied to 4 pm   17th October. 
(5)  The respondent pay the applicant’s costs of and incidental to this application, to be subject to detailed public funding assessment if not agreed.

2.	I am satisfied that it is appropriate to make a committal order for this contempt because the court needs to have a statement of means from the father so the court knows the father’s financial circumstances.  The father has been ordered to file and serve such a statement of means and has failed to do so.  There must be no further delay.  These proceedings involve an application for the financial support of two children.   It is important that the court has the information upon which it can make a proper order for the support of the two children.
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