In March 2017, at the end of a particularly bitter custody case that resulted in the father being granted indirect contact with his three children, a clinical psychologist advised the presiding judge, Sheriff Aisha Anwar, to break from tradition and delicately communicate the Scottish court’s decision to those children by letter. The psychologist then read the letter to its recipients. With the names of all parties anonymised, Sheriff Anwar’s missive was then published by the court to wide acclaim.

To read it, Rob Rinder joined us at Letters Live at Wilderness Festival, UK, in August 2023.

© Sheriff Anwar, March 2017