An Italian court has made a landmark decision by legally recognising three parents – two fathers and a mother – for a four-year-old child, a ruling that has drawn criticism from conservative Catholic groups.

The unprecedented judgment, reported by Italian media on Tuesday and confirmed by lawyer Pasqua Manfredi, concerns a child born in Germany .

The boy resides in Germany with two married men, one of whom is his biological father, having conceived the child with a female friend of the couple.

The other father, who holds both Italian and German citizenship, adopted the child under German law.…