Archers Addicts 4!!

I wonder if rob has put a recording device in the cricket ball ?
I suppose the level of risk rob poses will need to be properly assessed once the criminal trial concludes. Let's all hope the trial goes in Helens favour and she gets to keep her children with her. Be even better if rob is charged and convicted with rape and coercive control.

I agree about Anna's personal life Iam. SW on the Archers should acquaint themselves with a few female barristers! One female victim at a time is enough for me. I didn't realise until discussed on here how permanent PR is, and how virtually impossible to reverse. I wonder if after the trial and supposing Helen walks free, if it would be possible to make a case for Rob being a danger to Henry? It's doubtful whether TA would want to set a (pretend) legal precedent?

Is Helen allowed to reply to Ian's letter?

Just caught up with last night's episode. I expect Anna's other half will tell her it's all over and she'll be devastated - just something else to rack up the tension before the trial

I do hope Pat and Tony don't baby Henry too much and have a little 'talk' while they have him to themselves. He's going on six now and is beginning to ask questions so they need to get in there PDQ

I can't help but wonder why Rob insisted that the very hard cricket ball be packed in the suitcase . Hopefully nothing sinister will happen during the week as ' the ball ' has been mentioned far too much not to feature in a future episode. Have resisted reading any spoiler threads so far.

What used to be called step parent adoptions were always approached with caution by sw appointed once that application had been made. Parental Responsibility for significant individuals, including step parents arrived when the 1989 Children Act was implemented.
Adoption within families was always something the family courts were very reluctant to approve because it changes family relationships irrevocably.
Gracesgran has summarised the law in relation to PR. I agree with your conclusion GG, Rob will be part of Henry's life until either Rob or Henry decide to end their relationship.
I'm not a fan of Rob, who could be - but in the majority of family circumstances, the law is right in making an enduring legal relationship between child and a significant adult. Many children who have no so called blood relationship with say, the father of one of their half siblings, go on to have loving and supportive relationships with that man.
Come on Helen, talk to Anna. Come on Anna, get a grip and put your personal life to one side, or calm down about it - other professional women do this. The current script writers in the Archers seem to delight in portraying the female characters as ditzy. Thank goodness for Jill.

MargaretX Merlot did point out that he has not been adopted. Helen gave him parental responsibility which gives him a lot of power but it is not adoption.

The Court can remove a parent's or stepparent's Parental Responsibility if that has been acquired through a Parental Responsibility Agreement or Parental Responsibility Order. However, it's rare for a Court to do this, and the circumstances where this might be appropriate are exceptional.

Sadly, I have a feeling Rob will go on being part of Henry's life until he can make decisions for himself and, as coercion is a form of grooming, maybe after that.

Adoption is final and there is no case for thinking he is not Robs child now. He knew what he was doing.

I'm finding it all quite exhausting, I end up downloading it every night and talking to the radio, as I'm so frustrated that Rob's getting away with treating Henry in this way. I've never done that before! Ha! When us he due his comeuppance?

My point exactly merlot.!!!

On the surface he seems quite kind but we now all understand coercive control and how he uses it. Similar to Stockholm syndrome in some ways. Poor little boy, he needs his mum and grandparents. Tenby next week, don't hold your breath!

I've looked at the Mumsnet spoilers thread. It doesn't look good for Henry.

LullyDully, Rob hasn't actually adopted Henry although you would think he has given the power he's allowed through a Parental Responsibility agreement.

I'm probably not the only one who has been shocked to learn how much say he now has in Henry's future.

If you have the Radio Times, take a look at the Ambridge Diary for this week, eek!

I feel that he has no right to Henry. Not his son or any connection. How come his claim is so strong? ( I do know he adopted him.....however.) It isn't fair in the slightest.

She did acknowledge a one night stand when the DNA concluded the babe isn't Rob's.
Isn't he a sinister piece of work. Poor Henry.

Jess is even more vulnerable as she now has a child to protect from Rob. I am with shysal on this one. If the child isn't Rob's where is the father? She didn't appear to be someone who would have a quick fling.

Lully Dully you are right. He is still only five and won't be six until January. Poor Henry has been through so much that I thought he was older than he is.

I don't know if we will hear the visit to Granny Urthula and Grandpa Bruce but it would have been interesting if their was a comment about his "piercing blue eyes". (I feel Bruce's eyes would be at least piercing if not instantly destructive )

Nope,that child is definitely the child of her brown eyed father . Both grandfathers had very very blue eyes.

I am not going to comment Iam but you're right blue eyes do not absolutely certain that Rob is not the Dad.

My oldest child has very blue eyes. Her father and I both have brown eyes.

Surely you have to be year 3 before you can. board.

Is anyone else still feeling Rob will try and send Henry off to boarding school as soon a he knows he has custody?

She was able to try and fight, through the courts and not face to face, for some maintenance for her child merlot but she seems to have accepted that it was not Rob's. She told Helen she is glad she can see nothing of him in the baby and, it appears, the child has blue eyes which neither she nor Rob have.

I still think Rob is the father. Not sure how he fiddled the DNA, but it would be good if that all came out.

Didn't Jess prove that she was strong enough to stand up to Rob when she thought he was Ethan's father and the CSA chased him for maintenance?