A family dispute about a three-year-old boy ended happily in the High Court in Belfast yesterday. The boy's Italian father was released from custody after he had arranged for his son to be brought back from Italy and reunited with his mother. Two months ago the boy was taken from his home in west Belfast to Italy, while his mother, Ms Patricia Flanagan, was on a holiday in Paris.
The boy's father, Mr Giovanni Camerlengo (43), a chef, was arrested and charged with abduction. On Tuesday he applied for bail in the High Court and the judge adjourned the application to arrange for the boy to be returned to his mother. At the resumed bail hearing yesterday the court heard the boy was now back with his mother. Mr Justice Coghlin told the father that child abduction was a serious matter but he had co-operated fully. Mr Camerlengo was released on bail and ordered not to try to make any contact with his son or the boy's mother.
Outside the court, Ms Flanagan hugged her son and said: "I am just so pleased to have him back."