29 May 2019

Man to sue police, Customs, Attorney-general after son taken by mother

2:13 pm on 29 May 2019

A father plans to sue the Police and Customs after his nine-year-old son was taken from New Zealand by his mother despite a court order being in place.

Flight information, arrival, departure at the airport, London, England

The boy's mother took him to a country that is not a signatory of the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. Photo: 123RF

The father has sought orders suppressing the identity of himself, his son, the child's mother and the country where they have gone.

Associate Judge Dale Lester's decision, which granted the suppressions, says the father - identified as F - was granted a court order on 1 February preventing his son being removed from the country.

A border alert was registered with police and Customs.

However, six days later the boy and his mother were able to pass through border control at Christchurch International Airport.

She has taken the boy to a country that is not a signatory of the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.

The man intends to lay a civil suit against the police officer and customs officer involved, as well as the Attorney-General and the commissioner of police.