Section 137 Child abductionI1

England and Wales Not yet in force

(1)

The Child Abduction Act 1984 is amended as set out in subsections (2) to (4).

(2)

In section 1 (offence of abduction of child by parent etc)—

(a)

“(1A)

Subject to subsections (5) and (8), a person connected with a child under the age of sixteen commits an offence if—

(a)

the child is taken or sent out of the United Kingdom with the appropriate consent, and

(b)

at any time after the child is taken or sent, the person detains the child outside the United Kingdom without the appropriate consent.”;

(b)

in subsection (4)—

(i)

in the words before paragraph (a), after “United Kingdom” insert “, or by detaining a child outside the United Kingdom,”;

(ii)

in each of paragraphs (a) and (b), after “United Kingdom” insert “, or detains the child outside the United Kingdom,”;

(c)

in subsection (4A), after “United Kingdom” insert “, or detaining the child outside the United Kingdom,”;

(d)

in subsection (5A), in paragraph (b) after “out of the United Kingdom” insert “, or detaining the child outside the United Kingdom,”.

(3)

In section 11 (consequential amendments and repeals), in subsection (3) for “section 1 above” substitute “section 1(1) above”.

(4)

In the Schedule (modifications of section 1 for children in certain cases), in each of the following provisions after “subsection (1)” insert “or (1A)”—

(a)

paragraph 1(2)(a);

(b)

paragraph 2(2)(a);

(c)

paragraph 3(2)(a).

(5)

The amendments made by this section apply only in cases where the taking or sending of the child out of the United Kingdom takes place on or after the date on which this section comes into force.

Annotations

Commencement

I1: S. 137 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 255(1)