Dad jailed for kidnapping 3-month-old daughter from mother and taking her to Libya, but Mom still has not had the daughter returned to her (United Kingdom)

Dad is identified as MAHER BELAID.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/dad-jailed-kidnapping-daughter-mother-4605929

Dad jailed for kidnapping daughter from her mother and taking her to Libya

Nov 10, 2014 19:48

By Simon Keegan

Maher Belaid took his three month old daughter more than two years ago while his wife was out shopping and her he did it to "teach her a lesson"

A father who kidnapped his own baby girl from Britain after his marriage broke down has been jailed for his “unspeakable cruelty."

Maher Belaid, 34, abducted their three-month-old daughter to Libya while his wife was on a shopping trip - and she has not seen her for more than two years.

The judge had told Belaid to return little Talia, now 27 months, to Britain to be with her mother. But the court heard he has refused to co-operate with the British Embassy.

Restaurant worker Belaid was jailed for six-and-a-half years as the judge apologised to the child’s sobbing mother for not being able to jail him for longer.

Belaid fled to his North African home with Talia in November two years ago after his marriage in Britain broke down.

And he has refused to return Talia, now 27 months old, who is being looked after by Belaid’s mother in the Libyan capital of Tripoli.

The marriage - which allowed immigrant Belaid to stay in Britain - broke down after the birth of Talia.

But the judge heard there was “no prospect” of her being returned to her mother Malgorzata, 30, in Barry, South Wales.

Restaurant worker Belaid was arrested after returning to Britain without his daughter.

The court heard that Belaid copied his uncle Mohammed who had stayed in Libya with his young daughter and not allowed her to return to Britain five years ago.

Prosecutor Matthew Cobbe said Belaid whisked his daughter to Heathrow airport for a flight to Libya while his wife was shopping in the centre of Cardiff.

Mr Cobbe said: “He phoned her in the evening and told her he was in Tunisia and that Talia was safe. “He said he had done nothing wrong, he was teaching her a lesson, and he could take Talia when he wanted and it was no problem for him.” Newport Crown Court heard that Talia’s mother would see her for just a few minutes at a time on internet phone service Skype.

The hearing was told that she was tormented by the little girl calling Belaid’s mother “mum”. Mr Cobbe said: “The defendant’s cruelty has deprived the mother of her child and has deprived his child of the love she could have received from her mother. “The emotional hardship she has endured is plain to see and is heartbreaking.”

Belaid’s lawyer Richard Ace said that efforts to bring the toddler back to Britain had “hit a brick wall”.

Belaid, of Roath, Cardiff, who admitted abduction, was jailed for six and a half years.

Judge Patrick Harrington QC said he was restricted by sentencing powers otherwise he would have given Belaid a “far far longer” term behind bars for his “unspeakable cruelty”.

Belaid - who met his future wife while both worked at a pizza takeaway - was told by the judge: “This is a harrowing case.

“You put into effect a cruel deception and the torment you have inflicted on a very nice girl is simply beyond measure.

“Rarely have I seen a case of such unspeakable cruelty.”