A 31-year-old father has spoken of his year-long nightmare after his ex-partner took their son to Australia, despite a joint custody order. The man, who requested anonymity due to ongoing legal proceedings, was told by police that no crime had been committed and sought help from the Scottish Government.
The father, a former Child Support Agency worker, discovered the parental abduction on October 2 last year. It took 26 days to complete the paperwork for the child's return under the Hague Convention. A trial in March ordered the mother to return to the UK with the boy at the end of May, but she did not comply for another month.
During the trial, the mother initially lied about abuse, admitting in court she had fabricated the claims. She was later imprisoned for two months for breaching multiple court orders. The father now has custody of his son, who turns four in November.
“I’ve missed a year out of my son’s life,” he said. “It is always the child who pays the price. The last year has been a 365-day long nightmare.” He received the most support from the charity Reunite.
Despite the ordeal, the father wants his son to maintain a relationship with his mother. He backs calls for law changes to better protect against international parental abduction, noting that many people are unaware of what to do in such situations.
