Group in child stealing claim

A “NETWORK” of child stealing enthusiasts helped a Townsville mother kidnap and keep her twin daughters hidden for four years, a court has heard.

The mother vanished with the girls in 2014 after her estranged husband won custody of the children in the family court. After no trace of the woman and the twins for years, police swooped on her in northern New South Wales three weeks ago.

Now a second woman has been charged, with police alleging she sought advice from the same “network” before fleeing to NSW with her grandson.

The second woman, aged 56, who is also from Townsville, was arrested in Wauchope, west of Port Macquarie, this week.

During her bail application in the Brisbane Arrest Court yesterday, police revealed they were looking at a group of people who were providing advice to would- be child stealers.

The court heard the grandmother had legal custody of the boy on the condition he had contact with his father.

Police allege the grandmother stole the child because she believed the father was sexually abusing him.

This claim is unsubstantiated, according to detectives.

The grandmother is accused of fleeing with the boy in March.

Upon her arrest, she allegedly attempted to deceive officers, claiming the child’s name was different.

The boy is now with Child Safety.

“She doesn’t understand why ( police are) referring to this network. There is no network,” a duty lawyer said on the woman’s behalf.

The lawyer said her client told her she has had “no contact with those people”.

“She doesn’t know they are,” the lawyer said.

It was claimed the grandmother was on her way back to Queensland when she was arrested.

The woman has been remanded in custody until Tuesday. Her custody matter will be heard in the Family Court again the same day.

Her defence has requested her child stealing charges be dealt with in Townsville. who