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Boy came to Ireland willingly, alleged child abduction hearing told

Summary

In a High Court hearing on 2 June 2016, the court considered whether a French mother, who is wanted in France for child abduction and for failing to return her son to his father, should be sent to France to face those charges. The mother, who cannot be named, claimed she came to Ireland to protect her 17‑year‑old son, who is autistic. Her lawyer, Michael Lynn SC, told Justice Aileen Donnelly that the boy had come to Ireland willingly and that his right to travel with his mother should not be affected by any French custody order. Lynn argued that the boy's autistic condition does not make him incapable of making his own decisions and that no evidence had been presented to contradict this. He also urged the court not to equate the French child‑abduction charge with a false imprisonment charge in Ireland.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Boy came to Ireland willingly, alleged child abduction hearing told. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• July 26 Hearing Or Sentence
• 2016-06-02 Publication

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Sentence

Read the original CNI report