Dad loses court battle to force carers to trim son's pubic and underarm hair

A dad who took a care home to court because he wanted staff to trim his seriously disabled adult son's pubic hair 'in line with Islamic tradition' has lost his legal battle.

The father, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was adamant the hair around his son’s privates, as well as under his arms, should be cut in line with Islamic custom.

But experts said it would put the 39-year-old at risk of injury and was pointless, as he is unable to understand his religion.


The case reached the Court of Protection, where senior judge Mr Justice Cobb ruled that it is not in the man’s best interests, The Huddersfield Daily Examiner reports.

He said that

“there is simply no religious duty or obligation” on someone so disabled to trim or shave pubic and axillary, or underarm, hair.“The fact is that, by reason of his disability, he is absolved of the expectation of performing this recommended procedure, and there is no other clear benefit to him.“The trimming of the pubic hair and axillary hair would serve no other purpose.“I am anxious that he should be spared additional stresses in his life and wish to protect him and the staff from the risk of harm - an approach which itself has the endorsement of Islamic teaching.”

However, his dad is anxious that his son should adhere as fully as possible to the tenets of the Islamic faith, said Mr Justice Cobb.

The judge also made a declaration that the son be relieved of the obligation to fast during Ramadan.

His family had accepted that was the right decision and had never required him to fast in the past.