Baroness Butler-Sloss sorry for Fathers4Justice 'death threat' claim

Former High Court judge Baroness Butler-Sloss has apologised for wrongly claiming Fathers4Justice made death threats against her.

The crossbench peer made the claim in December during a discussion on the safety of judges.

Lady Butler-Sloss said while she had received death threats "it was not true" they were from Fathers4Justice.

She apologised "unreservedly" to the organisation, in a personal statement in the House of Lords.

Fathers4Justice said it was "delighted" by the public apology.

Lady Butler-Sloss told peers she had "not prepared" her remarks, made in an intervention during a discussion on the Crime and Courts Bill.

"I referred to death threats that I had received as a judge from dissatisfied litigants," she said.

"Most unfortunately, in referring to the people who had made such threats against me, I included the unwarranted suggestion that the organisation Fathers4Justice was among those who had made such threats.

"It was not true."

She said two newspapers had picked up her remarks prompting Fathers4Justice, which campaigns for fathers to be given access to their children, to get in touch with her and request a public apology.

Nadine O'Connor, the group's campaign director, said: "The making of false allegations within the family courts is something that our fathers have to deal with on a daily basis, so as an organisation we were extremely upset about the allegations that were made against us."