Ruling: Mr Justice Mostyn said today a millionaire sperm donor must pay £20,000 to cover the legal costs of the lesbian couple in a row over access to the seven-year-old boy . The millionaire gay father of a child brought up by a lesbian couple he donated sperm to must pay £20,000 to cover their costs in an extraordinary triangular legal battle between the boy's three parents. The man - named in High Court papers as JF - helped the women have a child in 2007 but the mothers now say he is being too demanding over access to the seven-year-old. After the boy was born JF - who has dual British and US citizenship and lives in a £1.2million pound home in the South of England - had irregular contact with him and took him to America twice. But his relationship broke down with the mothers, who complained that the father had become 'increasingly individualistic and demanding about contact', the court heard. Today Mr Justice Mostyn - one of Britain's most senior family judges - ruled that in the absence of legal aid JF must pay 80 per cent of the mothers' costs as they continue to fight him in court. The judge blamed the Government's 'grossly unfair' legal aid cuts that mean the father should have to pay £20,596 now, and 80 per cent of future costs run up by the women, known as MG and JG. 'But that it where the Government has left him. It is a sorry state of affairs,' added the judge. The boy's mothers,  who live in the North of England and are known only as MG, now 35, and JG, now 45, met in in 2005 and entered a civil partnership in July 2006. They wanted a child and responded to an entry by JF in a register for 'lesbian women and gay men seeking a non-sexual parenting partner' and accepted his sperm so they could have a child. MG carried the baby and gave birth in April 2007 and the couple agreed that JG became a legal step-parent and it was agreed all three would have legal rights to the boy - JFG - who was registered as an American citizen. Until October 2012 JF enjoyed periodic contact with his son and had even taken him to America with the two mothers on a couple of occasions. Turned sour: The seven-year-old boy is now at the centre of a bitter and expensive legal battle between his parents . In December 2013 JF issued an application in the High Court for more regular contact with his son, sparking an ongoing legal battle with the lesbian couple, who have since split up and run out of money. During eight court hearings legal costs have built up and the mothers have extended their mortgage to pay for it. But with 'modest means' they cannot afford any more. The judge said 'unfortunately' in April 2014 the two mothers separated but continue to work together in court. Under the old system both would have been entitled to legal aid, said the judge. But in April 2013 the Legal Aid, Sentence and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 ( LASPO) came into force. It removed legal aid from private law children proceedings and 'at a stroke, 63 years of state funding of cases such as this was swept away,' said the judge. Mr Justice Mostyn said: 'With the state washing its hands of MG and JG they now look to JF to fund their representation.' He said although the barristers in the case had reduced their fees they could not be expected to work for nothing. He added: 'So even though it cannot be said that JF has behaved reprehensibly or unreasonably he is the only realistic source of costs funding, subject to whatever contribution MG and JG should make from their own very limited resources. Some may say (and have said) that this is grossly unjust; I myself refrain from comment.' He said: 'Even though MG and JG are certainly not entitled to an order for costs they are entitled to seek an order for costs funding. To JF that may seem (with reason) to be a specious distinction without a difference, but that is where we find ourselves, now that the fourth pillar of the welfare state has been largely demolished.' Now the father must pay more than £20,000 to the women the High Court battle will continue, with a ruling over access now likely later this year. An Ministry of Justice spokesman said: 'Legal aid is a vital part of our justice system but resources are not limitless. At the time legal aid reform began not only had this Government inherited an unprecedented financial crisis but our legal aid bill was one of the most expensive in the world at around £2billion a year. 'We want to make sure family cases happen in the least divisive way possible, which is why we encourage people to use mediation and other out of court options that we know are less stressful and confrontational than going to court - and as a result are often more successful. 'It's for this reason we've significantly increased mediation funding and also recently announced new measures to give better support to those who decide to go to court and represent themselves. 'In some cases, though, court clearly is the only answer which is why, even after reform, we will still have one of the most generous legal aid system at around £1.5 billion a year.'
The sperm donor - known as JF - helped two women have a child in 2007 . Since then the father has become more 'demanding' over access, court told . The mothers are fighting his access claim but have run out of money . Senior High Court judge rules that father should pay 80% of their costs . Mr Justice Mostyn says it is 'grossly unfair' and blames legal aid cuts . Legal battle can now continue with ruling on access likely later this year .