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| Father of abducted Atiya must remain in jail, judge rules | Father of abducted Atiya must remain in jail, judge rules |
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| A man who abducted his young daughter, took her to Pakistan and refused to reveal her whereabouts for more three years should stay in jail, a judge has ruled. | A man who abducted his young daughter, took her to Pakistan and refused to reveal her whereabouts for more three years should stay in jail, a judge has ruled. |
| Razwan Ali Anjum, who begged for clemency in the high court on Monday, said what he had done was "completely unnecessary and wrong". | Razwan Ali Anjum, who begged for clemency in the high court on Monday, said what he had done was "completely unnecessary and wrong". |
| The 29-year-old from Rochdale has been in prison since April 2010 after returning to the UK without his daughter, Atiya, in November 2009, shortly after her third birthday. He has served successive sentences for contempt of court after defying orders to reveal where he had taken Atiya, who was discovered just before Christmas living with Anjum's uncle in Sialkot, a town in the Punjab. | The 29-year-old from Rochdale has been in prison since April 2010 after returning to the UK without his daughter, Atiya, in November 2009, shortly after her third birthday. He has served successive sentences for contempt of court after defying orders to reveal where he had taken Atiya, who was discovered just before Christmas living with Anjum's uncle in Sialkot, a town in the Punjab. |
| He offered his "sincerest apologies" for the pain and suffering he had caused his estranged partner, Gemma Wilkinson, 34, who was reunited with their now six-year-old daughter on 28 December. Anjum said he had requested an early release to "salvage some sort of family life". | He offered his "sincerest apologies" for the pain and suffering he had caused his estranged partner, Gemma Wilkinson, 34, who was reunited with their now six-year-old daughter on 28 December. Anjum said he had requested an early release to "salvage some sort of family life". |
| The court heard Anjum had refused to co-operate with police and lied about selling his daughter to a man named Mohammed Khan, who he said took the child to Iran. | The court heard Anjum had refused to co-operate with police and lied about selling his daughter to a man named Mohammed Khan, who he said took the child to Iran. |
| Though the judge said repeatedly Anjum deserved no credit for Atiya's return, he said he had a duty to reduce the "coercive element" of his last sentence – the part designed to encourage Anjum to reveal Atiya's whereabouts – given that the child was back with her mother. | Though the judge said repeatedly Anjum deserved no credit for Atiya's return, he said he had a duty to reduce the "coercive element" of his last sentence – the part designed to encourage Anjum to reveal Atiya's whereabouts – given that the child was back with her mother. |
| Mr Justice Holman, sitting in the family division at the Royal Courts of Justice, reduced Anjum's sentence to 10 months from 12 months, meaning he will be eligible for parole a month early, on 1 March. | Mr Justice Holman, sitting in the family division at the Royal Courts of Justice, reduced Anjum's sentence to 10 months from 12 months, meaning he will be eligible for parole a month early, on 1 March. |
| Holman said Atiya had no contact with mother for more than half her short life. "The human cruelty ... to the mother can scarcely be overstated," he added. | Holman said Atiya had no contact with mother for more than half her short life. "The human cruelty ... to the mother can scarcely be overstated," he added. |
| Anjum told the court he had refused to reveal where he had taken Atiya because he objected to being accused of abducting her. "I took her [to Pakistan] with permission. I didn't abduct her," he said, claiming Wilkinson had travelled with him to Liverpool to collect Atiya's passport for the trip. Wilkinson has always maintained she believed the pair were going to Southport, not Pakistan. | Anjum told the court he had refused to reveal where he had taken Atiya because he objected to being accused of abducting her. "I took her [to Pakistan] with permission. I didn't abduct her," he said, claiming Wilkinson had travelled with him to Liverpool to collect Atiya's passport for the trip. Wilkinson has always maintained she believed the pair were going to Southport, not Pakistan. |
| Anjum was later handcuffed and returned to Forest Bank prison in Salford. | Anjum was later handcuffed and returned to Forest Bank prison in Salford. |
| Wilkinson said she was "pleased that the court had seen through Anjum's lies". But added she had been dismayed, if unsurprised, that Anjum intended to apply for contact with his daughter after his release. | Wilkinson said she was "pleased that the court had seen through Anjum's lies". But added she had been dismayed, if unsurprised, that Anjum intended to apply for contact with his daughter after his release. |
| "This gives me a little bit of time to settle Atiya in before he starts taking action," said Wilkinson, adding that she would oppose any custody requests. | "This gives me a little bit of time to settle Atiya in before he starts taking action," said Wilkinson, adding that she would oppose any custody requests. |
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