Translation company ‘lamentable’ says top judge

AN Oldham-based company was today left counting the cost of what the country’s top divorce judge branded its “lamentable failures”.

Capita Translation and Interpreting Ltd was ordered by Sir James Munby, president of the High Court Family Division, to pay more than £13,000 when an adoption hearing had to be abandoned because of its failure to provide translators.

Though Capita apologised, Sir James said its failures in the case were “much more than inconvenience to all concerned, not least the anxious parents”.

The hearing, last May, was the last chance Slovak parents had of preventing the adoption of their two children. Two interpreters were booked through Capita, but failed to arrive. Sir James was forced to adjourn the hearing.

Capita argued it should not pay the costs because its interpreters are self-employed contractors.

But Sir James said it had a duty under its contract to provide interpreters when asked.

He ordered Capita to pay the costs of the abandoned hearing and of the hearing last November over the costs payment