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| Runaway mother Rebecca Minnock manipulated press, court hears | Runaway mother Rebecca Minnock manipulated press, court hears |
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| Runaway mother Rebecca Minnock has been accused by a senior judge of devising a “publicity stunt” to try to get her three-year-old son, Ethan, to reside with her. | Runaway mother Rebecca Minnock has been accused by a senior judge of devising a “publicity stunt” to try to get her three-year-old son, Ethan, to reside with her. |
| Judge Stephen Wildblood QC said Minnock, who handed herself in to police on Friday, had attempted to manipulate the media by going into hiding and allowing details of her bitter residence battle to be made public. | Judge Stephen Wildblood QC said Minnock, who handed herself in to police on Friday, had attempted to manipulate the media by going into hiding and allowing details of her bitter residence battle to be made public. |
| Wildblood said his first priority now was to “sort out future arrangements” for Ethan, who is back residing with his father, Roger Williams. | Wildblood said his first priority now was to “sort out future arrangements” for Ethan, who is back residing with his father, Roger Williams. |
| He added he might then have to deal with Minnock for breaching terms of previous court orders, and he said he would also find a way of making sure she was not able to further manipulate the press. | He added he might then have to deal with Minnock for breaching terms of previous court orders, and he said he would also find a way of making sure she was not able to further manipulate the press. |
| Sitting beside her lawyers at Bristol crown court, Minnock dabbed away tears as the judge made it clear that he was deeply unimpressed by how she and members of her family had acted. Her mother, Louise Minnock, and her mother’s partner, Andrew Butt, have been jailed for their part in helping her flee and hiding her whereabouts. | Sitting beside her lawyers at Bristol crown court, Minnock dabbed away tears as the judge made it clear that he was deeply unimpressed by how she and members of her family had acted. Her mother, Louise Minnock, and her mother’s partner, Andrew Butt, have been jailed for their part in helping her flee and hiding her whereabouts. |
| Wildblood said: “A singularly unattractive feature of this case that was revealed last week by Mr Butt was that he and, according to him, other members of the mother’s family, sought to manipulate the press to their advantage. | Wildblood said: “A singularly unattractive feature of this case that was revealed last week by Mr Butt was that he and, according to him, other members of the mother’s family, sought to manipulate the press to their advantage. |
| “Mr Butt said in evidence that, when Rebecca Minnock did not achieve what she wanted to achieve in the family litigation, he and others took the view that Rebecca should go into hiding with Ethan to attract the attention of the press. As Mr Butt himself said, if everyone who is dissatisfied with the outcome of a case behaved in that way, it would lead to anarchy.” | “Mr Butt said in evidence that, when Rebecca Minnock did not achieve what she wanted to achieve in the family litigation, he and others took the view that Rebecca should go into hiding with Ethan to attract the attention of the press. As Mr Butt himself said, if everyone who is dissatisfied with the outcome of a case behaved in that way, it would lead to anarchy.” |
| While on the run, Minnock gave her side of the story to the Sun and did an interview, photoshoot and video with the Daily Mail. | While on the run, Minnock gave her side of the story to the Sun and did an interview, photoshoot and video with the Daily Mail. |
| The judge said “huge amounts of time, effort and money” had been spent on the case. He said: “It is simply unfair for a party to attempt to use the press in an attempt to deny another person justice. Not only is it absurd for anyone to try to ‘play the press’ in that way, because that inevitably backfires, but it is also an utterly irresponsible way to behave from the point of view of the welfare of a child. | The judge said “huge amounts of time, effort and money” had been spent on the case. He said: “It is simply unfair for a party to attempt to use the press in an attempt to deny another person justice. Not only is it absurd for anyone to try to ‘play the press’ in that way, because that inevitably backfires, but it is also an utterly irresponsible way to behave from the point of view of the welfare of a child. |
| “It means that an attempt has been made to use each one of you, members of the press, and the court system as a whole as a part of a publicity stunt that has now been played out in public.” | “It means that an attempt has been made to use each one of you, members of the press, and the court system as a whole as a part of a publicity stunt that has now been played out in public.” |
| The judge said the stunt meant the public had heard the mother’s side of the story in full detail, while the father had largely remained silent. He pointed out there had been three court hearings in which serious allegations made by the mother against the father had been rejected. | The judge said the stunt meant the public had heard the mother’s side of the story in full detail, while the father had largely remained silent. He pointed out there had been three court hearings in which serious allegations made by the mother against the father had been rejected. |
| It is simply unfair for a party to attempt to use the press in an attempt to deny another person justice | It is simply unfair for a party to attempt to use the press in an attempt to deny another person justice |
| Wildblood added: “Following a very high level of enquiry, it has been found that the mother positively invented allegations against the father on two occasions in an attempt to stop him having any contact or relationship with the child. | Wildblood added: “Following a very high level of enquiry, it has been found that the mother positively invented allegations against the father on two occasions in an attempt to stop him having any contact or relationship with the child. |
| “My principal task now, however, is to sort out the future arrangements for Ethan. I do not imagine anyone could fail to recognise just how difficult a task that will be.” | “My principal task now, however, is to sort out the future arrangements for Ethan. I do not imagine anyone could fail to recognise just how difficult a task that will be.” |
| Wildblood said he would hold a private hearing at which he will make decisions about Ethan’s future. He added: “I may also have to look at what should be done about Rebecca Minnock’s behaviour in breaching previous court orders.” | Wildblood said he would hold a private hearing at which he will make decisions about Ethan’s future. He added: “I may also have to look at what should be done about Rebecca Minnock’s behaviour in breaching previous court orders.” |
| But he said he would continue to try to explain in public what was going on. Wildblood said: “There is a significant public interest in this case, and it has been important that I should explain things as openly as possible to ensure that misunderstandings do not arise.” He said he intended to release shortened versions of future “significant judgements”. | |
| The judge asked for there to be “as little speculation about what might or might not happen in relation to Ethan as possible”. | The judge asked for there to be “as little speculation about what might or might not happen in relation to Ethan as possible”. |
| He said it would be “thoroughly irresponsible and incorrect to suggest that the mother is now bound only to have indirect contact or supervised contact for very short periods of time”. | He said it would be “thoroughly irresponsible and incorrect to suggest that the mother is now bound only to have indirect contact or supervised contact for very short periods of time”. |
| He added: “I have already said, but repeat, that I will be doing everything possible to ensure that this little boy has an effective relationship with both of his parents.” | He added: “I have already said, but repeat, that I will be doing everything possible to ensure that this little boy has an effective relationship with both of his parents.” |
| The judge also thanked the media for its help in publicising Minnock’s disappearance. “Journalists have a difficult but important job to do as the eyes and ears of our society, and that job comes with the demands for near instantaneous reporting in the modern electronic world. It has been a privilege and very rewarding for me to witness how swift, balanced and informed that reporting has been. The press organisation has been instrumental in securing the return of Ethan. Thank you.” | The judge also thanked the media for its help in publicising Minnock’s disappearance. “Journalists have a difficult but important job to do as the eyes and ears of our society, and that job comes with the demands for near instantaneous reporting in the modern electronic world. It has been a privilege and very rewarding for me to witness how swift, balanced and informed that reporting has been. The press organisation has been instrumental in securing the return of Ethan. Thank you.” |