The man, who is not allowed to give his real name for legal reasons, has been called ‘unimpeachable’ by an Appeal Court judge.
In contrast, the mother of his child has had numerous mental breakdowns, and been diagnosed with a personality disorder, paranoid traits and depression, even accusing him of sexually abusing their daughter.
Yet despite his outstanding character reference, 12 years on and £100k down in legal fees, the 61-year-old is no closer to seeing his daughter.
He has attended almost 100 hearings in a family court which has issued 82 orders that he be allowed access, but these judgments have proved worthless.
His ex-partner is said to have simply ignored the court rulings.
Speaking about the case in the Court of Appeal three months ago, Lord Justice McFarlane concluded that the ma's 49-year-old ex partner had been ‘implacably opposed’ to contact between him and his daughter.
‘My anguish never stops'
Sadly, the father has not seen his daughter since February 2012, despite numerous court orders instructing her mother to give him access.
‘It’s like a bereavement,’ he says. ‘I need to see her. I need to break this impasse. The delays have been interminable.
‘My anguish never stops. I wake up every morning with a knot of anxiety in my stomach.
‘I don’t know where my daughter is. I don’t know how she is. I don’t even know if she is with her mother.
‘I feel both useless and helpless. You also wonder what people are thinking about you; whether you are somehow diminished in their eyes because they see you as an unfit father.
‘Every Christmas is a marker of how life moves on. It is not a video. You can’t replay it. The time not spent with your child can never be reclaimed. You’ve lost it forever.'
Another judge, Lord Justice Aikens added: ‘The family justice system has failed the whole family, but particularly the child whose childhood has been irredeemably marred by years of litigation.’
The case continues.