A same sex couple is embroiled in a bitter custody battle over their baby daughter after the sperm donor dad broke a verbal agreement that he would give up his parental rights to the child.

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After finding donor Mark Hartill on a sperm donor website, partners Stacey and Kate Cassin say that he made a “gentleman’s agreement” that he would not be involved in the child’s upbringing. However, after visiting the baby girl, Mark has now decided that wants to take an active role in her life and has appealed for weekly visits.

The couple from Leicestershire, are now taking him to court to try and block him from having any parental rights. “The agreement was that Mark would be able to see the baby after the birth but he would not be a parent,” Stacey Cassin told The Independent Online. “Mark came to see her three times after the birth and has decided he wants to be a daddy, which breaks the verbal agreement we had.”

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Do you think that the sperm donor has a right to be involved?

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