The mother of a five-year-old girl who was “kidnapped” while on holiday in the US by her partner, whom she met on a co-parenting website, has revealed that her daughter is “locked up in a hotel”.
The fugitive father was given one last chance this week to return the girl or face an immediate prison sentence.
Natalie Kennedy was 36 and worried about her biological clock when she met Philip Thomas, 11 years her senior, on an unregulated co-parenting website.
Mr Kennedy, now 43, said Mr Thomas, 54, an IT consultant, had defied court orders and refused to return his daughter Alice to the UK, leaving her “heartbroken and hopeless”.
She has not seen her daughter in more than four months since her husband took her to the United States for a two-week vacation after years of dispute over visitation arrangements.
Mr Thomas breached the court agreement by failing to return Alice to her mother's home in Gorleston-on-Sea, near Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, on August 6.
He then flew from Florida to Dubai with Alice on August 21 and is believed to have been with her in the United Arab Emirates city-state ever since.
A family court judge treated the incident as a “child abduction” and issued four separate orders for Mr. Thomas to take the child home, threatening fines, jail time, and asset seizure if he did not comply. Yet it is ignored.
Miss Kennedy previously said Mr Thomas did not comply because he was “afraid” of the consequences of returning home, arguing that his rights as a father were not properly taken into account.
Ms Thomas has set up her own website and associated podcast called FairParentingUK, which she uses to campaign for reform of the UK's family courts and what she sees as injustices within the system.
The Family Division of the High Court heard that Ms Thomas' whereabouts are unknown.
She told the Times: “Alice is just stuck in a hotel room.” When she talks to her, you can see that she wants to go home, but she puts on a brave face.
“Philip is trying to blackmail me.” [me] I decided to give in to his demands. He is using Alice as a means to get what he wants. ”
Thomas showed little emotion as he appeared via video link as Judge Cusworth said: “It's not in her best interests to play with Alice as a pawn” and “it's time to bring Alice back to this country.” It seemed like that.
Thomas was given a one-year prison sentence, suspended until March 7, to give him one last chance to return to the UK.
The judge added: “For his sake, for her sake and for her mother's sake, it is necessary to arrange for him to come to this country with Alice immediately.” He cannot continue living on the run with Alice forever. ”
Edward Bennett, representing Thomas, told the court: “His position is very clear. If there is progress during mediation, he is ready to return in March.”
