A judge has warned of the dangers of unregulated private sperm donation after a man, who claims to have fathered more than 180 children, attempted to gain parental rights to a child.
Robert Charles Albon, who advertises himself online under the pseudonym Joe Donor, was named by the judge at Cardiff Crown Court in order to protect women from the potential consequences of using his services.
For a same-sex couple known as B and C, their experience turned into a “horror story” after Mr Albon applied to the court for parental responsibility, to be named on the birth certificate, and to change the child’s name.
The baby in the case had been conceived by syringe injection, despite Mr Albon claiming to have had secret sex with the biological mother in a car, which Judge Jonathan Furness rejected as an assertion.
It was also found that he had advertised himself as a sperm donor who would “leave it up to the mother as to whether there should be any contact”. “There was evidence from his own social media material that Mr Albon has indicated that to be the position,” he said.
Despite this, Mr Albon launched a two-year legal battle to have rights over the child and wanted the non-biological mother to be called “Auntie” despite the fact she had acted as a parent since the child’s birth.
As a result of the lengthy court proceedings, the biological mother suffered from anxiety, depression and seizures, with both mothers citing them as a factor in the breakdown of their relationship.
Cardiff family court heard that Mr Albon, who is originally from the United States, had initiated the case to support his immigration position to stay in the UK, citing a right to a family life. He is at risk of being arrested if he returns to the US because of arrears on periodical payments.
Before this, he had only met the child for 10 minutes for a “one-off” photo in the weeks after the birth and is a “stranger” to their family.
“The impression is of a man who has a complete absence of sensitivity or empathy, is wholly self-centred and will stop at nothing to obtain what he wants,” Mr Furness said.
He continued: “In reality, he is a man who seeks to control.
“Women and children appear to be almost a commodity to him as he sets about increasing the number of his children around the globe – China, USA, Argentina, Australia and UK to name just some of the countries where he has fathered children.”
The judge found “no positive welfare benefit in changing the child’s name” and that direct contact between him and the child would not be in the child’s best interests.
He added that the application for the child’s name to be changed to one of his choosing was “frankly absurd” with no justification.
The non-biological mother said Mr Albon’s insistence on having parental rights had been a “nightmare and a horror story”.
“She believes that the world needs to know of the risks associated with unregulated sperm donation,” said Judge Furness.
“The public and vulnerable women seeking to get pregnant should know that is the case and they risk a similar ‘horror story’.”
The judge said he wanted “to protect women from the potential consequences of unregulated sperm donorship, generally, but also from Joe Donor himself”.
“He is a man who intends to continue donating sperm, and vulnerable women who are interested in such services should fully understand the risks of becoming involved with him,” he added.
Licensed clinics offering sperm donation are strictly regulated and can only be used to create a maximum of 10 families, with mandatory health checks and protection from legal rights.
However, Mr Albon was giving unregulated sperm and self-advertising, with the judge taking the unusual step of naming him in the online judgment under the argument of protecting the public.
