News

The Kilshaws who last year lost the twin baby girls they had tried to adopt using the internet, are to launch an appeal to try to clear their names and reclaim the children, writes Alex Dobson.

The case attracted huge publicity in April 2001 after Flintshire council launched a legal action to take the twins away from the couple, Judith and Alan Kilshaw, and return them to the United States.

Now Judith Kilshaw says that she is determined to take the case back to the high court, and she and her husband are being helped by a legal team that is prepared to work on a no fee basis.

"I wanted to appeal immediately because the decision was so unfair, but at the time we did not have the money. I expect the appeal to be heard quickly and we want to clear our names and prevent the case from setting a precedent where social services can act in the way that Flintshire did," she said.

"We know of other cases in Flintshire where couples have been allowed to adopt using the internet, but an emergency protection order was used in our case and we have been vilified in the press although we did nothing to harm the babies."

She added that if the high court refused leave to appeal then the couple would take the case on to the House of Lords and if necessary to the European Court of Human Rights.

"If we are successful then it could mean that we could be reunited with the twins as their future has not yet been decided."

The twins are still living with foster carers in the USA after a judge refused to return them to their natural mother.

Since their unsuccessful attempt to adopt last year, the Kilshaws have been forced to sell their seven-bedroom £230,000 home in north Wales, and are now living in Chester. Alan Kilshaw has been declared bankrupt, and was recently struck off as a solicitor.

Flintshire council said it was unaware of an appeal against the court ruling.