The applicant father and respondent mother separated in 2017.
The father sought custody and access to their 13-year-old son, while the mother sought sole custody and an order that the child not be forced to have contact with his father against his will.
The court found that the father had been emotionally and verbally abusive to both the mother and the child, leading to the child's severe estrangement and refusal to see his father.
Despite numerous attempts at reunification therapy and court-ordered access, the child's mental health deteriorated.
The court granted sole custody to the mother and ordered that any access be at her sole discretion, taking into account the child's wishes.
The father was granted decision-making authority solely regarding the child's interest in a property in Sri Lanka.
