A FORMER soldier suspected of severely beating two of his children - causing multiple broken ribs among other injuries - could win the right to maintain regular contact with them, it emerged last night.

The father-of-four from the North-East yesterday won the latest round of a legal battle to stay in touch with the battered youngsters after a Court of Appeal hearing.

The move came despite a county court hearing in January when the judge said no firm decision could be made on who - the mother, from Darlington, or the father - caused the injuries but added: "The finger of blame points strongly at the father."

And Judge Taylor opened the way for all contact to be severed with the father.

The four youngsters, all under four, were taken into care by North Yorkshire County Council and are now with foster parents.

But at the Court of Appeal yesterday, Lord Justice Ward ordered that the father's plea to maintain contact with the children should be reconsidered.

He said greater confusion could be created for the children if they kept in contact with their mother but not their father, who could come to represent an "ogre" in their minds as they grew up.

Lord Justice Ward added that the benefits to the children of keeping the links alive were the same for both their mother and father.

The ruling opens the way for the father to re-apply for contact rights when the case goes back to county court next month, when the foster parents will apply to adopt the youngsters.

Last night, the NSPCC's public policy advisor for the region, Sue Woolmore, said the courts faced a "great dilemma" in deciding what was in the best interests of such children.

"Contact could be what the children need, but obviously not the abuse," she said.

"If the court does decide contact is in the best interests of the children, then that contact must be supervised. It would be of great concern to the NSPCC if it were not."