The children, both girls, were aged 3 1/2 and 2 3/4 at the date of the alleged wrongful removal. They had lived in the United States of America all of their lives. The parents were married and had joint rights of custody.
On 24 October 1991 the mother took the children to Scotland.
On 5 November 1991 the Aberdeen Sheriff Court awarded the mother custody of the children. The father petitioned for their return.
