The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike, est. 2007) Part 2385 by Angharad Copyright© 2014 Angharad All Rights Reserved.

We adjourned to home where I managed to drink a couple of cups of tea but really didn’t fancy eating anything.

“What if they find something on the computer?” I said to Jason who was busy tucking into a bacon sandwich.

“We’ll deal with that if and when, if Sammi is as good as she says, we should be okay.”

“She told me she left it defragging after her cleansing, that’s supposed to muddy the evidence somewhat.”

“Relax, Cathy, they have to prove things not us.”

I fed Lizzie, having removed my dress and was sitting in a dressing gown. Normally having her suckling me made me relax, now I just felt irritated by her sucking and snoozing. I suppose she considered me her mother and did what I couldn’t do—relaxed enough to fall asleep.

“You should eat something,” said Jason which David echoed and finally he practically coerced me into forcing down a bacon sarnie with some tomato sauce on it. That required a further cuppa and now I was worrying I would need to wee while in the court.

I cleaned myself up and redressed and we set off to the courts once more. The enemy were already entrenched and the chatter between them turned to whispers as we entered the room.

Some ten minutes later the judge swept in and the resumption began. “I will first deal with the computer matter.”

The police computer man was summoned and gave a report. “Photographs with children were found on the hard drive.” My tummy flipped and the other side looked gleeful. “However, these were part of a collection of family photographs and contained nothing of a sexual or pornographic nature.”

“So is Lady Cameron’s computer clear of illegal items, in particular child pornography?”

“Yes, your honour, I could find no hidden files or deleted ones which contained any such things.”

“Thank you, Mr Holmes, perhaps you could return the computer to the university?”

The man nodded and left.

“Can you explain the missing evidence, Mr Tottington?”

“The computer has obviously been swapped or the evidence removed, your honour.”

“I think our forensic engineer would have found it by now, and must therefore assume, your client is either mistaken or making false accusations. Perhaps she could tell me if she knows a certain shoe repair and key cutting shop in
Portsmouth, called, ‘Shoe-keys,’?”

“I’m not sure I do, your honour,” answered Emma.

“I have documents to suggest that you do know it and that you visited there and ordered a key for the filing cabinet in Lady Cameron’s office, I also have a signed statement from the caretaker of the Biological Sciences Department which says you borrowed his keys to supposedly open a store cupboard door, but that the keys also contained a pass key to Lady Cameron’s office. Do you deny theses allegations? If you do, I have to caution you that in the event of you doing so and the evidence suggests otherwise, you may be held to be in contempt of court for which the legal penalties can be severe. I will ask you again Ms Emma Vallance, do you deny these allegations and evidence?”

The look on Emma’s face was one of total shock and bewilderment. “No, your honour.” She suddenly looked quite ill and my heart felt a mixture of emotions including relief and sympathy.

Emma sat down looking very shaken. The judge asked the aunt to stand up. “I have reviewed all the evidence including the histories leading up to your abuse of Lady Cameron during one of her lectures. I have also read depositions from two leading consultants regarding the care and control of the children you claim Lady Cameron turned from boys to girls.

“The incidence of transgender children is rather higher than one would expect to find in a city the size of Portsmouth, this however is caused by Lady Cameron being acceptant of gender confused children rather than anything else and given that several of the children had problems with gender identity and were found unsuitable for general adoption, sadly, some having been returned to social services care because of it.

“According to the experts these children are now living happy healthy lives which wasn’t the case before. In her statement Lady Cameron says that she tries not to influence the choice of the child but enables he or she to explore the gender roles of which they are curious in a safe and secure environment. The child is monitored by a consultant paediatric psychiatrist regularly who has no concerns about the parenting she saw there.

“I also have a report from the director of social services declaiming your actions and giving reasons why your employment was terminated.

“Ms Vallance, I suspect the problem we are actually addressing here is your intolerance or non acceptance of gender different children, which in someone who has trained as a social worker is incomprehensible. I therefore find none of your allegations founded and thus expect you to apologise to Lady Cameron for the distress you have caused her. I also expect you to give an undertaking for both you and your family and associates to avoid causing any undue discomfort and distress to Lady Cameron and her family, including any adopted or foster children. I require that you meet my expectations and further that you refrain from approaching Lady Cameron or her children for a period of one year. Failure to comply with these rulings will result in your arrest and subsequent charge of contempt of court with a recommendation you spend a minimum of three months in custody. Do you understand?”

“Yes, your honour,” she replied in a very small voice. A few moments later Ms Vallance was made to offer an apology and give an undertaking to leave us in peace.

Once this was done by all of them, the judge, who’d witnessed it added, “I’m glad you came to your senses because had this gone to court and been proven against you, the legal costs would have bankrupted you all, plus the other charges could have resulted in a prison sentence and criminal record and whilst you might dislike or even despise her, it was Lady Cameron’s suggestion to close this matter by conciliation rather than a trial, I think you should feel very grateful that she did, don’t you. I will therefore leave the final word to her.”

He indicated I should speak. “Thank you, your honour, for conducting this hearing so fairly. Whilst I don’t agree with what happened and was concerned by Ms Vallance’s apparent prejudice, I assumed they were rooted in what she thought were valid ideas or values. I felt a need to challenge those rather than punish them, in the hope she might one day understand that in reality we were on the same side, caring for vulnerable children. Transgender children are potentially very vulnerable to abuse and insensitive behaviour from those who don’t understand them. Their courage and stamina in becoming who they believe themselves to be is breathtaking, and worthy of our support and encouragement not scorn or judgement. They deserve the same care and love as any other child and I shall fight to try and ensure any I know about will get that support and protection.”

I was shaking when I sat down.