The mother of a five-year-old girl, who was ‘abducted’ while on vacation in the United States by the partner she met on a co-parenting platform, has disclosed that her daughter is currently ‘trapped in hotels’.
The fugitive father has been given a final opportunity this week to bring the girl back; otherwise, he will face immediate imprisonment.
Natalie Kennedy, aged 36 at the time and concerned about her biological clock, encountered Philip Thomas, who was 11 years her senior, on an unregulated co-parenting site.
Now 43, Ms. Kennedy stated that IT consultant Thomas, aged 54, has violated court orders by refusing to repatriate their daughter Alice to the UK, leaving her ‘devastated and despondent’.
She has been separated from her daughter for over four months since he took her on a two-week trip to the United States, following a prolonged disagreement over visitation arrangements.
Mr. Thomas breached a court agreement by failing to return Alice on August 6 to her mother’s residence in Gorleston-on-Sea, near Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.
Subsequently, he flew with Alice from Florida to Dubai on August 21 and has reportedly remained with her in the United Arab Emirates since.
Despite the threat of penalties, imprisonment, or asset seizure, Family Court judges have issued four separate orders for Mr. Thomas to repatriate the child, all of which have been disregarded.
Miss Kennedy previously alleged that Thomas has not complied due to fear of the repercussions of returning and believes his paternal rights have not been duly considered.
Thomas has established a website named FairParentingUK and a related podcast to advocate for reforms in the UK’s family court system and address perceived injustices.
The High Court’s family division revealed that Thomas’s whereabouts are currently unknown.
In a statement to The Times, Ms. Kennedy expressed, ‘Alice is essentially confined to hotel rooms. Although she expresses a desire to return home when we communicate, she is putting on a brave front.’
‘Philip is attempting to extort concessions from me. He is leveraging Alice to achieve his objectives.’
During a video conference, Thomas appeared impassive as Mr. Justice Cusworth remarked, ‘Using Alice as a pawn is not in her best interests’ and emphasized the necessity of repatriating her.
Thomas received a suspended one-year prison term until March 7, providing him with a final opportunity to return to the UK.
The judge underscored the urgency of facilitating Thomas’s and Alice’s return to the country, emphasizing the need to conclude the ongoing mediation process promptly.
Edward Bennett, representing Thomas, informed the court, ‘His stance is explicit. If progress is made during mediation, he is willing to facilitate the return in March.’