B v S [2016] EWHC 3213 (Fam): Wardship Egypt

The court refused a father’s application for the discharge of long-running wardship proceedings concerning his nine-year-old daughter who was being kept in Egypt by his family. The father had already been imprisoned following repeated breaches of court orders requiring him to disclose his daughter’s whereabouts and it was important for the proceedings to remain alive so that the court could persuade him to bring about a resumption of the relationship between his daughter and her mother. Although she had not been in England for several years, and although no contact had taken place, the proceedings had served a useful purpose, and were continuing to do so, by providing a forum wherein her future could be considered. The proceedings also applied some pressure on B to persuade him to bring about a resumption of the relationship between daughter and mother. It was important for the proceedings to remain alive so that the court could do what it could to help. Accordingly, B’s application for dismissal of the wardship proceedings was refused