A High Court has ruled that a seven-year-old boy must be removed from his mother's care after she forced him to live his life "entirely as a girl."

In a hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London, it was reported that the woman, who cannot be named, dressed the boy in girl's clothes at all times and registered him at the GP as a girl.

After considering evidence from the boy's parents, local authority social workers and a psychologist, Mr Justice Hayden said the woman had been 'absolutely convinced' that the youngster 'perceived himself as a girl' and was determined that he should be a female.

The judge said the woman caused her son 'significant emotional harm' by trying to raise him as a girl.

Mr Justice Hayden said his 'overwhelming impression' was that the woman "believes herself to be to fighting for (her son's) right to express himself as a girl". His mother told me that he was 'living in stealth' by which was meant that he was living life entirely as a girl. He dressed, at all times, like a girl and, it transpired, had been registered at a new general practitioner's as a girl".

He said the woman had told him how the boy "expressed disdain for his penis". The judge added: "I consider that (the mother) has caused significant emotional harm to (her son) in her active determination that he should be a girl."

After the boy's parents had separated some years ago, the son remained with his mother. The father initially raised concerns in the Family Court about not having sufficient access to his son.

According to Mail Online, the judge criticised social services for failing to respond to "flares of concern" from a "whole raft of multi-disciplinary agencies" that were "disregarded so summarily" by social services staff.

I consider that (the mother) has caused significant emotional harm to (her son) in her active determination that he should be a girl. - Mr Justice Hayden

The judge said social services staff had "moved into wholesale acceptance that [the boy] should be regarded as a girl" even though "there was no independent or supportive evidence that (the boy) identified as a girl at all, indeed there was a body of material that suggested the contrary," he explained.

While his father initially expressed shock at his son's feminine appearance and mannerisms, the judge said the boy, who is now living with his father, had settled down well and is instinctively pursuing male-orientated interests.

"I have been told that (the father) and his partner were shocked when they first saw (the boy) by the extent to which he appeared to be a girl, both in appearance and in mannerism," said the judge. "However, what is striking is how well (the boy) has settled down."

The judge added: "I have noted from reports that (the boy) has become interested in Power Rangers, SpongeBob, Superheroes and is constantly finding new interests. It is striking that most of (the boy's) interests are male-oriented. I am entirely satisfied, both on the basis of the reports and (the father's) evidence at this hearing, that he has brought no pressure on (the boy) to pursue masculine interests. (The boy's) interests and energy are entirely self-motivated."

He said the boy's father had shown himself to be a 'natural and instinctive father'.