U.K mom jailed after illegally taking sons to Antigua

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A mother has been jailed for a year after illegally taking her two children from Shropshire to Antigua for six months.

The woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, admitted abducting the seven and five-year-old boys and flying to the Caribbean.

She flew against the order of a family court order, and without the permission of the boys’ school.

Shrewsbury Crown Court heard that the woman attended a hearing on March 16 this year.

Prosecuting, Simon Parry said that at the hearing the boys’ father was granted residency rights, and the mother made her intention to take them to Antigua clear.

She was advised not to and a ‘prohibited steps’ order to that effect was prepared.

The order was not made formal that day but the woman was made aware of it.

Mr Parry said: “The defendant went straight to the school and requested three weeks’ absence for the boys so she could travel to Antigua.”

She was refused and given a letter formally turning down her request.

But the following day she picked the children up after school and travelled to Gatwick Airport, then onwards to Antigua.

The boys’ father alerted police and social services, and the woman was notified by phone.

Though she said she wanted to stay for three weeks, her stay eventually lasted six months.

On returning to the UK she was met by police.

Representing her, Danny Smith said the delay was because of issues with relatives.

He said that the woman had become isolated in Shropshire, and felt it would be beneficial for her children to be abroad.

Judge Anthony Lowe sentenced the woman to a year in prison for two counts of abducting a child.

He said: “Although the prohibited steps order might not have been given to you, at the time it would have been something you were aware of.

“There has to be a deterrent element here so people don’t think they can ignore the orders of the courts.”

The woman was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge.

(Shropshire Star)

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11 COMMENTS

  1. Let’s look at our system.
    1 what is the requirement of Immigration when anyone is traveling with a child?
    2 An investigation should be launched pronto to discover what supporting documents was retrieved by immigration to allow the woman entry.
    3 Is it stamp and go for Caucasian tourists who is perfect and can do no wrong in the name of tourism.
    4 IMMIGRATION MUST ANSWER WETHER OR NOT INTERNATIONAL PROTOCOLS WAS FOLLOWED TO PREVENT HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
    5 IMMIGRATION IS WAY TO LAX WHEN IT COMES TO THE CAUCASIANS. PEOPLE GET ADMITTED INTO THE COUNTRY WITHOUT PASSPORTS, ON EXPIRED PASSPORTS, RUNNING FROM CRIMES, WITH INFECTIOUS DIS-EASE, etc and it’s smile stamp and go not a question asked.

    • Rastaman, you raise some interesting questions, but it seems to me that your bias is being SHOUTED.

      For a start, what makes you think the woman is Caucasian? Because its a story about an English court decision? Seems to me given the trip was extended due to issues with relatives, its more likely her roots are here.

      Immigration here follows very similar procedures to everywhere else, they scan your passport , which shows its a valid number, and if there is no information on the system alerting them to a problem, then the immigration person asks a few questions to verify the intent of your visit. If it flags an issue, then a different procedure will be followed.

      The real question is does the immigration department have robust ties with their international counterparts? It would seem to me that this story is showing a failure of the English govt, in not notifying Antigua of the potential abduction.

      Antigua immigration is making a big effort to combat human trafficking, why dont you ask , instead of assuming they are incompetent?

      As far as the rest of your claims, whatever you think of the Antiguan immigration department, do you honestly think you can board a plane anywhere in the world with an without or have an expired passport? Not going to happen, I suggest you try a little travel or at least some research.
      Running from crime, well then youd need a good fake and thats pretty hard these days.

      Infectious disease? Possible but given the indigenous population has a higher level of infectious disease than most if not all countries where caucasians dominate, I fail to see the threat.

      • A computer can only give inputted information. The Immigration officer must be trained to detect crimes, not the computer.

        Persons travelling with children should produce notarized clearance from both parents.

        If one country’s immigration missed it, it does not mean another should wear blinders

        If Antigua immigration had requested a clearance note from both parents case close

        We need to stop finding excuse, behaving as if we are not capable, and we cannot improve.

    • So a woman comes from England with her two children and immediately the immigration officers should start thinking “Human Trafficking? I am almost sure all their documents were in order and were not fake.. I am also sure people come through almost on a daily basis with their Children Really do not see why any immigration would get suspicious of her.. Makes no sense at all..

      • @ Jha No they should not suspect human trafficking. However if the person does not have a clearance letter from both parents, an investigation should take place.

        This is basic stuff.

  2. Is it one immigration she had to pass through why are we blast antigua and england with all her tectnology didn’t detect that and the other thing who was there when this lady give was giving birth to these boys isn she the mother not saying rigth but……

  3. Not sure why Antigua is being blamed, she is the natural mother, they probably carried the same last name and I am sure if they asked the children would say that she is their mother. For her to leave England means that no restrictions were put into the system as yet, that is not her fault or Antigua’s. but the British court system.

    • @Angie-That’s exactly my point..There obviously were no restrictions on her travel,,at least documented, or she could not have left England with them..People seem to be forgetting she got on a plane from England before she landed here.

  4. Every child doesn’t have a father around to give permission to take a child out of the country so needing letters from an an absent parent doesn’t do anything. It was the responsibility of the British government to make sure she couldn’t leave the country with those kids.

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