Katherine MacDonald

Within her public law work, Katherine represents any party throughout proceedings and is regularly providing representation at final hearings for both Local Authorities and parents. Katherine has acted for parents in proceedings where they have faced allegations of causing non-accidental injuries to a child and also for clients who have had difficulty in providing instructions and understanding legal advice, ensuring that they are able to engage with proceedings.

Recent reported work:

Portsmouth City Council v Mother & Ors [2026] EWFC 136 – Katherine acted on behalf of a Father in a fact finding hearing before Mr Justice Trowell where the Local Authority sought findings of an inflicted injury to one of three children by either this father, or the children’s mother. The Court found the substantive allegations had not been made out.

Re Alfie (a Child)(Fact Finding: Multiple Inflicted Injuries) [2026] EWFC 103 (B) – Katherine was led by Zosia Keniston acting for a Local Authority in a fact finding hearing. The case concerned a injuries to a child aged between 18 – 21 months at the relevant time. The Intervenor was found to have deliberately inflicted a serious skull fracture, a right arm fracture, four rib fractures on two occasions, bruising to the child’s head and face on two occasions. Additionally, the Court considered that there was a real possibility the Intervenor or the Mother also inflicted bruising to the child’s groin, left ear and right hip. The Court made findings that the Mother failed to protect the child. The Intervenor videoed himself applying pressure to bruised areas of the child on two occasions and peeling back an obviously swollen lip on one occasion. The videos were described as ‘distressing to watch’ and one video as ‘truly sickening to watch’. Both the Intervenor and the Mother failed to seek appropriate medical attention following an additional fracture to the leg, the arm fracture and facial bruising.

A Local Authority v Mrs H (Mother to ) & Ors [2025] EWFC 316 – Katherine was led by Cleo Perry KC and Zosia Keniston in a fact finding hearing before Mrs Justice Judd acting for the mother of a child who had died aged nine months old. Five possible perpetrators were identified for three alleged inflicted injuries. Nine medical experts gave evidence during the hearing. The Court described the medical evidence as ‘complex and very detailed’. No findings were made against the Mother that she had inflicted any of the injuries to her child, nor that she had failed to protect them. No findings were made that Mother had been the perpetrator of domestic abuse within her relationship with Father. The Court concluded that ‘This has been an extremely complex and sensitive case. I am indebted to all the lawyers who have worked tirelessly to ensure that it was possible to complete this fact finding hearing on time. It has involved an enormous number of documents, some of which only became available very shortly before the hearing. On every level it was a huge task, and I want to thank everyone concerned’.

Re O (A Child) (Care Proceedings: Evidence) [2024] EWFC 145 (B) – Katherine acted for child, through their Children’s Guardian, in a matter where the Court was being invited to make Care and Placement Orders. Within this hearing, the Court was troubled by the approach taken by the Local Authority to the filing of some of its evidence which was ‘not acceptable’.

RE D Katherine was led in 2021 by Zosia Keniston, acting for a Local Authority in a 14 day fact finding hearing where findings were sought in relation to ‘Fabricated or Induced Illness’. The Court heard oral evidence from 40 witnesses. The Court was satisfied that the Local Authority had proved its case, specifically that, over a period of years, the mother had fabricated and exaggerated illness which had caused the child physical and emotional harm.

Re: U Katherine was led by Graeme Harrison in 2022 in a four week fact finding hearing before Mrs Justice Roberts acting for a Local Authority. The issue the Court was being asked to determine was a case of poisoning a severely disabled child. The Court made findings that the child suffered serious and potentially life threatening harm and made a pool finding in respect of the child’s parents.

Re X (A Child) [2019] EWFC B57 – Katherine was led by Dylan Morgan acting on behalf of a Local Authority on an 18 day combined fact finding and welfare hearing within care proceedings in the High Court involving a child whose sibling had died whilst in their parents’ care. Both children had been subject to previous care proceedings before being returned to the care of their parents. The deceased child had suffered a suspected fracture of the femur in the previous proceedings which was found to have been an x-ray artefact. In these proceedings there was a preliminary issue over whether the child’s body could be preserved and the fracture site examined. In these proceedings the deceased child had a number of injuries though no cause of death had been ascertained through post-mortem investigations.

Katherine undertakes work for parents throughout all stages of the private law process, regularly appearing for both applicants and respondents.

Complimenting her earlier experience, Katherine accepts instructions for family injunctive work and is able to handle all matters with a sensitive and professional approach.