Falsely accused of abusing daughter

A father falsely accused of sexually abusing his daughter has won £86,000 compensation.

Jon Coupland (53), of Green Lane, has been awarded the payout after a social worker alleged he had touched his daughter inappropriately.

He suffered the humiliation of being arrested and handcuffed in front of his neighbours and being thrown in a cell and interrogated for ten hours after Suzi Smith made the claims against him.

It is now claimed she made the allegations in a fit of pique after Mr Coupland criticised the way she was handling a custody battle.

A former painter and decorator, Mr Coupland had been locked in battle with Jessica’s Thai mum, Kajchi Jiraekkaphob.

He was granted custody soon after Jessica was born, but the girl’s mum fought him through the courts for seven and a half years.

As part of the process, Cafcass worker Mrs Smith visited Mr Coupland’s home in January 2012.

At a court hearing the following week, Mrs Smith’s report was “glowing”, according to Mr Coupland.

But four months later she reported him to the police for allegedly abusing his daughter.

Mr Coupland said: “I believe she did it because I accused her of acting unprofessionally by contacting one of my character witnesses during the custody proceedings.”

“I asked for her to be removed from the case.”

He was arrested a week later on suspicion of sexual assault – handcuffed and dragged into a police car in front of his neighbours.

His daughter was visited at school by social services and interviewed by police and Mr Coupland was told that she would be placed into temporary care.

A day later, police told Mr Coupland they were taking no further action as Mrs Smith had retracted her allegation.

He then reported her to police and she was interviewed but no further action was taken against her.

Mr Coupland now plans to contest the decision not to prosecute Mrs Smith at the High Court.

He said: “Friends have turned on me . . . I’m still being treated like I’m a paedophile.

Mr Coupland continued: “It was humiliating. My neighbours saw and parents at Jessica’s school turned on me.

“It was a completely false story of lies but my daughter could have been fostered and I could now be in a paedophile wing of a prison because of this social worker.

“I won’t rest until she faces justice for what she has done.

“I thought the law in this country was ‘innocent until proven guilty’ but I feel like I have been branded guilty and I have proven myself innocent.

“It will be that way until Suzi Smith is taken to court and proven to be a liar.”

Suzi Smith was sacked by Cafcass (Children and Family Court Advisory Service), the largest employer of social workers in England, for gross misconduct, but only left work six months after making the false allegation.

Mr Coupland said: “In the meantime she was still working in the courts, affecting children’s lives.

“It is disturbing that this person is paid to look after the welfare of children.

“She has done the opposite and got away with it.”

Mrs Smith confirmed that she was dismissed by Cafcass six months after making her allegation against Mr Coupland.

She said: “Jon Coupland is a very complicated individual who I believe feels a great injustice has been done to him.”

A Cafcass spokesman said of the incident: “We regret that on this occasion our practice procedures were not followed.”

An internal investigation by Lincolnshire Police found its officers were justified in arresting Mr Coupland.