The child, a boy, was aged 7 at the date of the alleged wrongful retention. He had lived in Italy all his life. The parents were not married and did not cohabit. In June 1996 the mother took the child to England, she informed the Italian Court that she intended to return in September. She did not.
In August 1990 the Trieste Court had awarded custody to the mother and access to the father. In July 1995 the Court passed a temporary order prohibiting the mother from removing the child from Italy. In April 1996 this order was revoked, otherwise the status quo was maintained. In October 1996 the father commenced return proceedings.
In January 1997 the Italian Court granted a declaration recognising the father’s right to “visit and have” his son in terms of the April 1996 order.
