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| Rebecca Minnock's mother and friend jailed for helping her flee with son | Rebecca Minnock's mother and friend jailed for helping her flee with son |
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| The mother and a close family friend of missing Rebecca Minnock have been jailed for lying about a “wicked” plot to help her go into hiding with her three-year-old son to generate publicity for a bitter custody battle. | |
| As police continued to search for the pair, the missing woman’s mother, Louise Minnock, and her partner, Andrew Butt, were found to be in contempt of court by lying about the circumstances of her disappearance. | |
| Before they were taken to prison on Friday – Louise Minnock for 10 days and Butt for 28 – Butt appealed to the runaway to turn herself in, accepting the case had become “too big”. | Before they were taken to prison on Friday – Louise Minnock for 10 days and Butt for 28 – Butt appealed to the runaway to turn herself in, accepting the case had become “too big”. |
| Addressing Rebecca Minnock, Butt said: “It’s massive. There’s no hiding no more. You can’t run forever. Everyone in the country knows about it. Where do you run to? You need to come home. It’s over.” | Addressing Rebecca Minnock, Butt said: “It’s massive. There’s no hiding no more. You can’t run forever. Everyone in the country knows about it. Where do you run to? You need to come home. It’s over.” |
| The judge overseeing the effort to find mother and child also made a direct appeal to her, promising that: “Everything possible will be done to ensure that Ethan has an effective relationship with both of his parents.” | The judge overseeing the effort to find mother and child also made a direct appeal to her, promising that: “Everything possible will be done to ensure that Ethan has an effective relationship with both of his parents.” |
| Following a two-year battle for custody of Ethan, Minnock fled from her home in Highbridge, Somerset, on 27 May – the morning of a hearing at which she believed a court would decide Ethan should live with his father. Police have been searching for mother and son ever since. | Following a two-year battle for custody of Ethan, Minnock fled from her home in Highbridge, Somerset, on 27 May – the morning of a hearing at which she believed a court would decide Ethan should live with his father. Police have been searching for mother and son ever since. |
| Earlier this week the judge, Stephen Wildblood QC, took the very unusual step of allowing family court proceedings to be reported in full to publicise the hunt for the pair. Detectives have investigated possible sightings of Minnock, 35, in Cheltenham and the West Midlands and she has twice contacted tabloid newspapers to describe why she left and how she feels. | Earlier this week the judge, Stephen Wildblood QC, took the very unusual step of allowing family court proceedings to be reported in full to publicise the hunt for the pair. Detectives have investigated possible sightings of Minnock, 35, in Cheltenham and the West Midlands and she has twice contacted tabloid newspapers to describe why she left and how she feels. |
| In a dramatic day at Bristol crown court, lorry driver Butt admitted he had earlier lied when he said in court he had not helped Minnock flee. | In a dramatic day at Bristol crown court, lorry driver Butt admitted he had earlier lied when he said in court he had not helped Minnock flee. |
| In fact, Butt claimed he and Minnock had plotted her flight the night before she vanished. “She said she couldn’t stand the thought of losing Ethan,” he said. “She asked if I would help her get away. I said yes.” | In fact, Butt claimed he and Minnock had plotted her flight the night before she vanished. “She said she couldn’t stand the thought of losing Ethan,” he said. “She asked if I would help her get away. I said yes.” |
| They met shortly after 8am on 27 May, Butt told the court. He said she drew out £300 from a cashpoint and they drove to Cheltenham, where Minnock has family. Butt said he dropped her off at a road junction near a park and told her: “Keep running … keep moving”. | |
| Butt added: “The plan was to keep her away for as long as possible and generate as much publicity as possible.” He said Minnock felt people weren’t listening to her. “I said the press will be involved when you go missing. Then people will listen.” | Butt added: “The plan was to keep her away for as long as possible and generate as much publicity as possible.” He said Minnock felt people weren’t listening to her. “I said the press will be involved when you go missing. Then people will listen.” |
| Asked if they were deliberately using the press, he replied: “Yes.” He said they had succeeded. “We have got what we wanted to achieve. We have got the press, we have got the newspapers. Maybe we can make a stronger case. It’s the way we planned it and the way it has worked out.” | Asked if they were deliberately using the press, he replied: “Yes.” He said they had succeeded. “We have got what we wanted to achieve. We have got the press, we have got the newspapers. Maybe we can make a stronger case. It’s the way we planned it and the way it has worked out.” |
| Wildblood pointed out to Butt that the courts had looked very carefully at Minnock’s case and at claims she had made against Ethan’s father, Roger Williams, and had concluded she had made up false allegations to frustrate contact between him and his son. | Wildblood pointed out to Butt that the courts had looked very carefully at Minnock’s case and at claims she had made against Ethan’s father, Roger Williams, and had concluded she had made up false allegations to frustrate contact between him and his son. |
| The judge described the plan to use the press as “wicked” and asked him what impact he thought the sort of action Minnock had taken must have on children. “They get hurt,” Butt replied. The judge asked him what would happen if everyone behaved in such a way. “Chaos, anarchy,” Butt replied. | The judge described the plan to use the press as “wicked” and asked him what impact he thought the sort of action Minnock had taken must have on children. “They get hurt,” Butt replied. The judge asked him what would happen if everyone behaved in such a way. “Chaos, anarchy,” Butt replied. |
| Butt also admitted in court that he had told Louise Minnock he had taken her daughter to Cheltenham. Louise Minnock had previously denied in court any knowledge of where her daughter had gone. The judge ruled this also amounted to contempt and ordered her back to court. | Butt also admitted in court that he had told Louise Minnock he had taken her daughter to Cheltenham. Louise Minnock had previously denied in court any knowledge of where her daughter had gone. The judge ruled this also amounted to contempt and ordered her back to court. |
| Sentencing Butt and Louise Minnock, the judge said: “This is not a game. It is an extremely serious case about the welfare of a three-year-old boy.” He said both had deliberately obstructed the efforts to find Minnock. | Sentencing Butt and Louise Minnock, the judge said: “This is not a game. It is an extremely serious case about the welfare of a three-year-old boy.” He said both had deliberately obstructed the efforts to find Minnock. |
| Avon and Somerset police made a direct video appeal to the missing woman on Friday. DCI Marie Wright told Minnock: “There is always a solution and a way forward and we can help you through this.” | Avon and Somerset police made a direct video appeal to the missing woman on Friday. DCI Marie Wright told Minnock: “There is always a solution and a way forward and we can help you through this.” |