Family court judges had concluded, at separate private hearings, that the women's complaints could not be upheld. However, Mrs Justice Judd said an important issue in the case she oversaw was the "treatment of vulnerable witnesses" in family court hearings.

       She said the judge who initially considered the case had not put in place "special measures" to help the woman give evidence.

       In a separate case, Mr Justice Peel agreed with the woman's argument that a family court judge had appeared to have "minimised the seriousness" of her sex-abuse allegations.

       He also said the judge who first oversaw the case had not considered "the impact" of the woman's "vulnerability" when she was giving evidence.

       Both women were represented by Charlotte Proudman.

       The barrister was employed by Tory MP Kate Griffiths who won the right to name her ex-husband, and former minister, Andrew Griffiths, after a family court judge ruled he had raped her.