Hartnell Chanot: Divorce/Family Law Solicitors Exeter, Devon

Fear of abduction in the next 48 hours

Once a rare phenomenon parental abduction has increased in recent years.

If you consider that there is a very serious threat that your child or children will be abducted in the next 48 hours you should take the following steps:

• Contact the police immediately (if possible go in person) and make an official allegation of child abduction. They can assess whether the threat is imminent and act accordingly. The police can then put out an ‘All Ports Warning’ in England and Wales. It is most effective if you can give them information about possible dates and times of flights.
• Contact reunite
  
• Contact a family solicitor who can make necessary arrangements for court orders. Solicitors can help with the following orders and more:
  
  
  • Order for delivering up of passports
  • Order restraining issue of passports
  • Restraining order preventing abductor from removing the child from their residence
  • Interim Residence Order
  • Bond for return of the child after contact

In the interim period between advising your solicitor and getting to court, you may wish to hide the passports of the abductor and child until you can get to court and withhold contact or even go into hiding until the matter comes to court. Always take legal advice on all issues to prevent breaking the law and to ensure your actions are in the best interests of your children.