THE York parents of a sperm-donor baby have won the first round of a legal battle to find out more about their child's genetic father.

The unnamed couple want to know details including any hereditary conditions suffered by the anonymous donor who fathered their daughter.

They also believe more information could help the five-year-old, known only as Child L, if she needed organ transplants in future.

They say the refusal to give them information about the sperm donor amounts to a violation of the child's human rights.

The couple are fighting the case at the London's High Court along with 29-year-old Joanna Rose, who now lives in Australia. She too is a test-tube baby.

Although they are not seeking any details that would identify fathers who donated sperm anonymously, they say they could be told more to establish their "identity as individual human beings".

Monica Carss-Frisk, QC for Miss Rose and the York couple, argued that both were entitled to know more details about their genetic fathers under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights which enshrines the right to "respect for family life".

She argued there was no good reason why they should not be allowed to know the father's blood type, his relevant medical history, any genetic illness from which he suffered, his reasons for donating sperm, his social and family background, religion, skills, interests and occupation.

She said the York parents had a "real need" to know more so they could make an informed decision about whether to tell their child the natural father was a sperm donor or keep that a secret.

Mr Justice Scott Baker declared the case "arguable", opening the way for a full judicial review to be heard next spring.

Updated: 10:14 Friday, November 16, 2001