A four-year-old boy brought to Malta by his mother without his father's knowledge or consent is to be returned to the United Kingdom, the Family Court ruled.

The court heard that the child's parents, who were unmarried but cohabiting, emigrated to the UK with the child in 2012.  The father started to work in the UK and the mother was accepted to follow a university course in that country.

The couple eventually ended their relationship but remained in the UK where the child was enrolled in a school.  The mother came to Malta with the child last Christmas without informing the father, who in turn claimed the child had been abducted from his country residence.

In her judgement, Madame Justice Abigail Lofaro said that there was no doubt that the habitual residence of the child was in the UK and that the mother had unilaterally brought the child to Malta without his father's knowledge or consent.

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