I definitely wouldn't do it myself and would get a stair gate, I bet it was a case of the handle broke and Sue with all of her intelligence thought that's a brilliant way to get them to stay in their own beds so we can baby make without being disturbed
Fair enough, I havent seen that so dodnt know i just presummed it was whilst they get to sleep then they open it again as that's what I do with my little ones stair gate, once we come up to bed I lock the gate at the top of the stairs, shut the bathroom door and open his gate so he can get to us if he needs us,l.
I used to do this to my sister to lock her in her bedroom and you only need one side in for it to turn the lock as long as you have the metal bar bit that turns it so if Noel has that in his handle he could turn it with the other handle in, ad I used to take the handle of my side and the middle bit out and my sister couldn't get out, obviously it was a joke and I didnt leave her in there she was also older than me
for the radfords though it's still dangerous becuase if something happened and thought couldn't find their side of the handle and I bet in a panic you would rush around looking for it