Mum faces 10 years in American jail after abducting her own children

[Alison J Stevens]

Mum faces 10 years in American jail after abducting her own children

Claire McNulty

By adam wakelin

An anguished mum could face 10 years in an American jail for illegally bringing her three children to Leicestershire.

Claire McNulty is accused by US authorities of illegally taking her own children out of the country.

Police in America and then the UK began an investigation after Claire took her daughter and two sons to live with her parents in Thurmaston, without the permission of their American dad.

The youngsters were returned to their father, Patrick, after a ruling in London's High Court.

Claire now fears she may not see them again until they are grown up.

She has been told she must appear in a New Jersey court next Friday to face three criminal charges of Second Degree Interfering With Custody.

The charges carry a penalty of between five and 10 years in prison.

"I didn't know I was kidnapping anyone," said the 38-year-old. "They're my kids. I just wanted the best for them."

The tug-of-love legal battle broke out when Claire brought Meghan, nine, Liam, six, and Andrew, three, out of the States on September 7.

She had taken out three temporary restraining orders against Patrick, alleging domestic violence. He denied the allegations and US courts were unconvinced by her claims.

With her ex-husband behind with maintenance payments, Claire decided to come home.

But bringing her children to live in Thurmaston without their father's consent put Claire in breach of the Hague Convention, an international agreement under which abducted children are returned to their country of birth.

The children were taken back to America on January 4. Neither Claire nor her family has heard from them since.

Claire said she could not go back to the States.

A warrant will be issued if she fails to attend the Grand Jury hearing. Any attempt to visit her children in America after that would result in her arrest.

The lawyer representing Claire's ex-husband in America said she only had herself to blame.

"I've been told the chances of getting my kids back are slim to non-existent," said Claire. "The only chance is if something happens to their father."