HAMPSHIRE dad Michael Cox was dramatically freed from prison last night after an appeal hearing.
Mr Cox, from Hythe, was sent to prison last week after failing to comply with an order to repay the Child Support Agency a total of £42,000 in unpaid child support.
He had argued that he looked after his children 50 per cent of the time and was therefore not liable for the other half.
His ex-wife Lesley Peach had also written to the court asking that he was not committed to prison as it would force her out of work and on to benefits.
Sitting in Bristol Crown Court, Mr Justice Gray gave Cox unconditional bail with a view to quashing the sentence after hearing representations from Mr Cox's legal representative.
Mr Cox said: "Today's decision is a victory for common sense. By making this stand I hope that my colleagues and I in Fathers 4 Justice have sounded the alarm, to warn parents that family law is in a state of national emergency."
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