Portsmouth father faces jail over child abduction

A father who served time for abducting his children could be jailed again after failing to unite them with their mother.

Usama Al Barwani, from Portsmouth, served half a four-year sentence for abducting his daughter, Aishah, now 12, and his son, Faris, eight, in 2012.

The pair are believed to be living with relatives in Oman.

Mr Al Barwani previously said he would arrange for the children to be handed over to the British Embassy in Oman.

At the latest hearing at the Family Division of the High Court, Mr Justice Hayden said: "His son and daughter have lost years of their mother that will never be recovered."

He said that at a hearing in December, following Al Barwani's release from jail, he had "agreed to cause the children to be handed over to the care and control of the British Embassy in Oman by January 6 this year".

He added: "He has given evidence today which I have found entirely unconvincing. He is a shameless liar."

The case was adjourned to allow Al Barwani to get legal representation ahead of the committal proceedings, the date of which is yet to be fixed.