Prolific sperm donor denied increased parental rights by UK judge

A prolific sperm donor has been refused parental responsibility and contact with two children he fathered through 'natural insemination'.

Local Authorities initiated care proceedings for two children, referred to as CA and CB, who share a genetic father, prolific sperm donor Robert Albon. Both children were born following 'natural insemination', meaning that Albon had sexual intercourse with their mothers after advertising his services online. The respective Local Authorities proposed that CA should continue living with their mother, while CB should be placed in foster or adoption care. The proposals were unchallenged by all parties except Albon, who applied for parental responsibility and contact with CA and custody of CB. The judge refused both applications in the best interests of each child.

'The evidence before the court shows that Mr Albon will have sex with, or provide his sperm for artificial insemination, to just about anyone who asks,' Judge Poole said in his judgment. Regarding CA, he said, 'I have no confidence that Mr Albon would commit to contact and find it likely that he would move on to another family when it suited him, as he has done previously.'

Albon claims to have fathered up to 180 children and has promoted his services on television and via Facebook under the name 'Joe Donor'. The Court found that many of the women using Albon as a sperm donor were socially and financially vulnerable. Judge Poole noted that Albon used litigation in an attempt to control multiple women with whom he had fathered children in the UK, including both mothers in this case.

Regarding CA, Judge Poole ordered that Albon would be re-registered as the child's father but denied parental responsibility and contact, because it was not in the best interests of the child. Judge Poole ordered that Albon was unable to pursue further legal action for five years, describing him as a 'tenacious litigant' who is likely to submit further requests for parental responsibility.

Regarding CB, Judge Poole refused Albon's request for custody, stating that it would be detrimental to the long-term welfare of CB and he was not convinced that Albon's interest in parenting was long term or sincere. Albon was denied face-to-face contact with both children, but was permitted letter box contact once or twice a year.

Earlier this year, in a case involving a different child, a judge publicly named Albon to warn the public of the possible dangers of unregulated sperm donation and warn against others using Albon's services (see BioNews 1277).

Sperm donation within licensed fertility clinics is regulated by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. Donors are screened for infections and genetic conditions, and there are restrictions on donor anonymity and on the number of families which can be created from the sperm of a specific donor. Unregulated sperm donation is not subject to the same restrictions.

Judge Poole concluded: 'I shall direct that a copy of my judgment and order shall be sent to both the Home Office and the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.'