ABC v DEF

Contempt of court – Committal. The claimant issued two applications to commit the defendant for contempt of court, alleging that he had breached the terms of an injunction. The defendant sought the striking out of the applications as an abuse of process. The Queen's Bench Division held that none of the defendant's allegations of abuse should result in the court declining to hear the claimant's applications. There could be no doubt that the defendant's course of conduct had constituted serious and sustained breaches of the injunction and a term of imprisonment for seven months, suspended for two years was imposed, given the defendant's mental health issues.