As solicitors advising families often find, divorce and child contact disputes are an extremely emotional and complex issue for all involved. These cases can become very stressful and worrying for everyone, as the Family team at regional law firm Dutton Gregory experienced in a recent case, which successfully prevented a potential child abduction.
The team were contacted by a father whose young son had been removed from the family home by his mother. The mother went on to indicate her intention to take the child to a Non-Hague Convention country. Countries that have signed the Hague Convention agree to respect the legal arrangements that have been made by another contracting state about the child. They will also secure the return of a child who has been wrongfully taken to or kept in a signatory state.
With a risk that the client may never see his child again, Dutton Gregory’s team of solicitors made an emergency out-of-hours application for an alert to be put on all ports and airports in the UK. This was followed up with Trainee Solicitor, George Chick, travelling to the High Court in London the very next day and securing a further order for court staff to locate the pair and confiscate all travel documents.
Thankfully, the mother and child were found in time, safe and sound and the father now has the opportunity to pursue contact with his son.
If you’re at risk of a similar situation or would like to discuss your needs with one of our family solicitors, please call one of our offices in Hampshire or Dorset or email us at contact@duttongregory.co.uk.
