A 56-year-old man appeared in court in Northern Ireland today charged with abducting his five-year-old daughter.
Lecturer Mr Gerard McCullough, of John Street, Belfast, was accused of taking daughter Ms Shannon O'Brien from the home of his ex-wife on April 10th and taking her out of the UK.It is understood McCullough took his daughter to the Republic.
He was further charged with assaulting ex-wife Ms Francine O'Brien on April 10th and April 25th last year.
He was arrested yesterday at a court in Belfast where he was about to apply for a residency order that would have given him custody of Shannon.
His solicitor told Lisburn magistrates court in Co Antrim that an arrangement had previously been made for Mr McCullough to voluntarily go to police yesterday with legal representation to discuss the case.
The residency application did not proceed and the child was not returned to her mother but placed in the care of social services, the court heard.
RUC Det Sgt Gillian Fowler, who charged Mr McCullough, told the court that after his arrest he had expressed concerns about the child's welfare.
PA