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Runaway mother Rebecca Minnock 'manipulated press' | |
(35 minutes later) | |
The actions of a runaway mother at the heart of a custody battle were "utterly irresponsible", a judge has said. | The actions of a runaway mother at the heart of a custody battle were "utterly irresponsible", a judge has said. |
Rebecca Minnock and relatives tried to manipulate the press with a "publicity stunt" when she fled with Ethan, three, Judge Stephen Wildblood QC ruled. | Rebecca Minnock and relatives tried to manipulate the press with a "publicity stunt" when she fled with Ethan, three, Judge Stephen Wildblood QC ruled. |
But he said he would do what he could to ensure Ethan had "an effective relationship with both parents". | But he said he would do what he could to ensure Ethan had "an effective relationship with both parents". |
Ms Minnock, 35, handed herself in on Friday after more than two weeks in hiding with Ethan. | Ms Minnock, 35, handed herself in on Friday after more than two weeks in hiding with Ethan. |
Mother and son disappeared from their home in Highbridge, Somerset, on 27 May - the day a judge ruled Ethan should live with his father. | Mother and son disappeared from their home in Highbridge, Somerset, on 27 May - the day a judge ruled Ethan should live with his father. |
'Invented allegations' | |
In a judgement at Bristol Crown Court, Judge Wildblood said that had been an "utterly irresponsible way to behave" when the interests of a child were paramount. | |
He said she and relatives had tried to cause a "manipulation of the press". | |
And he said that during the two-year custody battle between Ms Minnock and Ethan's father, Roger Williams, it had "been found that the mother positively invented allegations against the father on two occasions". | |
Ethan was reunited with his father on Friday evening. | |
Ms Minnock's mother Louise, 52, and Louise's partner Andrew Butt, 56, were jailed on Friday for contempt of court after admitting withholding information about her whereabouts. | |
Butt, who drove Ms Minnock and Ethan to Cheltenham on the day they disappeared, told the court last week: "The plan was to keep her away for as long as possible and to generate as much publicity as possible." | |
While in hiding with Ethan, Ms Minnock gave interviews by telephone to two national newspapers. | |
In the written judgement, Judge Wildblood also said his "principal task" was dealing with Ethan's future - some of which would be resolved by the court "sitting in private". | |
He said he had to ensure there were no more attempts by Ms Minnock and her family to "manipulate public opinion". | |
"I may also have to look at what should be done about Rebecca Minnock's behaviour in breaching previous court orders," the judge added. | |
"I anticipate that there needs to be a short period of time in which people can take stock of what has happened and reflect on what they want to achieve." |