A man who donated sperm and claims to have fathered more than 180 children lost his legal battle to be recognized as the father of a child born after he received a £150 Amazon gift card.

The unregulated donor, Robert Albon, who goes by ‘Joe Donor’ on social media, asserts that he has fathered offspring in various countries, including Australia and Argentina. Originally from the US, Albon started his unregulated sperm donation activities in 2013 before moving to England in 2020.

Last October, Albon sought legal acknowledgment as the father of a child, identified only as N, born in 2021. The High Court in London heard that N’s mother, in 2019, began a relationship with a cisgender woman who later transitioned to male. The mother’s partner identified Albon as a potential sperm donor after researching.

Albon provided sperm to the couple’s home for £100 initially, which did not lead to a pregnancy. Following a second donation in exchange for a £150 Amazon gift card, conception occurred, and N was born. The mother’s partner was listed as N’s father on the birth certificate, but the couple split in 2023.

In a ruling, Sir Andrew McFarlane highlighted that the false declaration to the registrar was reported to the police, who opted not to take action. In a separate case in Middlesbrough, Mr. Justice Poole rejected Albon’s requests for increased contact or parental rights, citing his lack of empathy and tendency to exert control over others.

Sir Andrew’s judgment emphasized that granting Albon legal fatherhood status would unsettle the mother, considering his unpredictable behavior. He concluded that it would go against public policy to recognize Albon as N’s father due to his actions and lack of ethical principles.

The court dismissed Albon’s application, stating it would contradict public policy if granted. It was clarified that the mother’s former partner is not N’s father. The judge described the case as extreme, involving sperm donation on a significantly larger scale.

Connie Atkinson, a family law partner at Kingsley Napley who represented the mother, expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision, stating that while Albon is the biological father, granting him legal parental rights would not be appropriate.