Anthony Hayden

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom
Justice of the High Court
Assumed office
2013
Personal details
Born
Anthony Paul Hayden

(1961-06-24) 24 June 1961 (age 62)

Sir Anthony Paul Hayden (born 24 June 1961), styled The Hon. Mr Justice Hayden, is a judge of the High Court of England and Wales and former barrister appointed to the High Court.

He was called to the bar at

Queen's Counsel (QC) in 2002.[1] On 31 July 2013, he was appointed a judge of the High Court of Justice (Family Division) and invested with the customary knighthood in 2014.[2]

In 2018 he presided the Alfie Evans case over the legal challenge by the parents of Alfie Evans against Alder Hey Children's Hospital.

In 2019, he notoriously stated "I cannot think of any more obviously fundamental human right than the right of a man to have sex with his wife – and the right of the state to monitor that."[3] The statement referred to a case in the UK court of protection, brought by a council’s social services after the condition of the woman in question (who had learning difficulties) began to deteriorate. The statement caused substantial outcry from all sides, and was later (2024) used by Amnesty International in a misogyny-awareness quiz.[4]

In 2022, he was one of the judges to hear the Archie Battersbee case.[5]

References

  1. ^ "Knighthood conferred: Anthony Paul Hayden". GOV.UK. 10 Downing Street. 8 October 2013. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
  2. ^ "No. 60791". The London Gazette. 25 February 2014. p. 3889.
  3. ^ "Having sex with wife is fundamental human right". theguardian.com. guardian. 3 April 2019. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  4. ^ "DID A JUDGE REALLY SAY THAT?". amnesty.org.uk. amnesty international. 1 January 2024. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  5. ^ "Barts Health NHS Trust -v- Battersbee". Courts and Tribunals Judiciary. 15 July 2022. Archived from the original on 6 August 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2022.