Petition · past parliament · Ministry of Justice

Amend the Child Abduction Act to criminalise failure to return a child to UK

Closed 313 signatures

What the petition asks

UK Government to close the legal loop-hole known as the “Nicolaou problem”, named after the legal case which found that, if a child is taken abroad legally but then illegally detained there, no criminal offence is committed.
I want the Government to close a 36 year old legal loop-hole, known as the “Nicolaou problem. The “Nicolaou problem” named after the legal case, which found that, if a child is taken abroad legally but then illegally detained there, no criminal offence is committed.
This means no arrest warrant can be issued by the British police, no extradition can be sought, and that parents are left at the mercy of foreign courts and their officers for help tracking down and recovering their child.

Timeline

13 Oct 2020 Petition opened for signatures
13 Apr 2021 Closed to new signatures

Key facts

Signatures 313
Status Closed
Department Ministry of Justice
Opened 13 Oct 2020
Closed 13 Apr 2021

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.