Rebecca Minnock ‘could face strict curbs’ on access to returned son

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/jun/13/ethan-williams-rebecca-minnock-runaway-mother

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The mother who went on the run with her three-year-old son, sparking a police hunt, will be allowed to see him in the forseeable future only for very limited amounts of time under strict supervision, a child welfare expert believes.

Ethan Williams is now “safely back” in the care of his father after more than two weeks spent in hiding with his mother, Rebecca Minnock.

Minnock, 35, from Highbridge, Somerset, took her son after a court ruled that he should live with his father, Roger Williams. She was in the Oxford area when she made contact with Avon and Somerset police on Friday evening. On Saturday, Williams confirmed: “Ethan is safely back in my care now.”

A police spokesman said no arrests had been made following the return of mother and son. “This will be a matter for the family courts now,” the spokesman added.

Judge Stephen Wildblood QC, the high court judge dealing with the case, confirmed that there would be a hearing at Bristol crown court on Monday.

Harry Fletcher, a legal expert, said Minnock now faced further restrictions on her access to Ethan as a result of her actions. “They can’t allow her to be alone with the child because there is a risk she will run away again,” Fletcher said. “It’s likely that she will be allowed only indirect contact with her son, with a social worker present in the room, for perhaps an hour at a time.”

Before handing herself in, Minnock told the Daily Mail: “I feel that my time has run out now.” She said her son had believed he had been on holiday because they had been having “normal, fun times together”, such as going swimming and visiting parks. “My only regret would be the trouble that my family have gotten into, all the police efforts and time I’ve wasted,” she added.

“Obviously everyone’s been concerned but we’ve both been absolutely fine. He’s been safe and happy, and I don’t have any regrets because I’ve spent so much more time with him than I would’ve been able to.”

She said she decided to come forward to police after Ethan asked to see family members. She was also aware that her mother, Louise Minnock, and mother’s boyfriend, Andrew Butt, had been jailed for contempt of court. Judge Wildblood jailed Minnock for 10 days and Butt for 28 days after they admitted lying about Ethan’s disappearance. “What’s made my mind up, Ethan has been asking to see my family – he’s been asking to go to his bed back home,” Rebecca Minnock said.

Ethan has lived with his mother since his parents separated in February 2013. During a custody battle in May it was ruled that he should live with his father.

Fletcher predicted that resolving the child’s future would prove arduous. “Some 20,000 cases reach Cafcass (the family courts system) a year,” he said. “These are the cases that have not been resolved by mediation. They are, by their nature, protracted and extremely difficult to resolve. It could be months or even years before this is sorted out.”