3 February 2015
An
Oldham-based company was today left counting the cost of what the country’s top
divorce judge branded its “lamentable failures”.
Capita
Translation and Interpreting Ltd was ordered by Sir James Munby, president of
the High Court Family Division, to pay more than £13,000 when an adoption
hearing had to be abandoned because of its failure to provide translators.
Though
Capita apologised, Sir James said its failures in the case were “much more than
inconvenience to all concerned, not least the anxious parents”.
The
hearing, last May, was the last chance Slovak parents had of preventing the
adoption of their two children. Two interpreters were booked through Capita,
but failed to arrive. Sir James was forced to adjourn the hearing.
Capita
argued it should not pay the costs because its interpreters are self-employed
contractors.
But
Sir James said it had a duty under its contract to provide interpreters when
asked.
He
ordered Capita to pay the costs of the abandoned hearing and of the hearing
last November over the costs payment.
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