The case of Rebecca Minnock, a mother who went missing with her three-year-old son Ethan, has been the subject of great publicity over the past few weeks. On 27th May, a district judge ordered that Ethan should live with his father, Roger Williams after finding that Miss Minnock had exposed her son to emotional harm and obstructed contact between Mr Williams and his son. It has been reported that a child psychiatrist, a social worker and a guardian recommended that Ethan should live with his father and have supervised contact with his mother. Prior to this hearing Ethan had been spending four nights a week with his father and three with his mother. It was 27th May when Miss Minnock disappeared with Ethan.
Miss Minnock handed herself and her son in to the police on 12th June, after 17 days of living ‘on the run’ and contacted The Sun to inform them that her child is well but she has lost trust in the justice system.
His Honour Judge Wildblood QC lifted reporting restrictions around the case in an effort to find the mother and child. He has responded to Miss Minnock’s comments and stated that ‘it is important the public understands the seriousness with which the court approaches the task of ensuring, if at all possible, that both parents maintain an effective relationship with the child’.
Earlier this month Miss Minnock’s mother and her mother’s partner were jailed for withholding information about Ethan’s disappearance, both have since been released. Miss Minnock acted in complete disregard of an order of the court and will face committal proceedings later this week.
There was a directions hearing on Wednesday 24th June ahead of the full hearing on Friday 26th June and His Honour Judge Wildblood QC has said that both these hearings will be held in public at Bristol Magistrates’ Court.