Custody Battle of Unregistered Sperm Donor Fails

An unregistered sperm donor, claiming to have fathered over 180 children, was unsuccessful in securing custody of a three-year-old child he had with a woman from Durham.

Robert Albon, who adopted the alias “Joe Donner” and featured in a recent Channel 4 documentary, sought to have the girl live with him after her mother deemed herself unable to care for her.

Court documents reveal this is the fourth attempt by the 54-year-old American to gain parental rights concerning his biological children in the UK. In February, a judge publicly identified Albon when he brought a case against the woman in Cardiff to assert his parental claims.

The judge ultimately rejected his case, characterizing him as a man trying to exert control, describing his actions as treating the woman like a “product.”

The non-biological mother described her experience with Albon as a “nightmare and horror story.” A Family Court judge in Middlesbrough issued a ruling on Wednesday that denied his request for custody of a girl born in May 2022. Furthermore, applications for custody regarding another girl born in March 2023 were also dismissed.

In both instances, his interactions with the women involved were sexual in nature, marketed as a “free” service on his Facebook page. Albon stated that those involved “don’t need to look at your Hoo Ho and see the weirdo.”

His connection with the mother of the three-year-old began when she reached out to him on Facebook in 2021, requesting photographs before driving 250 miles to meet him the same day. Notably, the woman already had seven children, five of whom were not in her care.

In a message, Albon expressed deep emotional turmoil, stating he almost ended his life due to distress caused by the situation—a sentiment that hinted at his struggle. His message also accused the woman of exploiting the pregnancy for financial gain.

For the two-year-old girl, although Albon did not appear on her birth certificate, he had some contact with her initially. He sought parental declarations, parental responsibility, and contact rights. During court proceedings, evidence was provided behind a screen, with the mother objecting to his application.

In court, the mother discovered Albon’s real name was Robert, not Joe. Social services portrayed her as vulnerable with a troubling family background and assessed her IQ at 75.

Albon, who has children with both a Japanese woman and a Chinese woman he is estranged from, has fathered numerous children across South America, Australia, and the UK. Additionally, in the United States, where sperm donor services ceased in 2017, he faces an arrest warrant for failing to pay child support that amounts to thousands of dollars.

In an interview last August, Albon shared his perspective on the situation.