Children's rights watchdog in North abandons bid to outlaw smacking

The children's rights watchdog in the North has abandoned her legal bid to get smacking banned.

Two months ago, the Court of Appeal dismissed Patricia Lewsley's bid to outlaw smacking, costing her office more than £80,000 (€89,953) in legal fees.

Ms Lewsley now says she does not want to spend more of her budget on legal fees, but remains firmly opposed to any physical punishment of children.

Her chief critic has been the DUP, which has accused her of mounting an "ideologically-driven campaign" and an attempt to criminalise parents.