'Abduction' couple vow to fight case

The Irish grandparents who are wanted in the United States for allegedly abducting their grandson today vowed to fight their case in court.

Timothy and Ethel Blake refused to discuss the details of the case, saying it would be governed by the in-camera rule for juvenile hearings.

Sherlene Minehan of the Don Ryan law firm read a statement on their behalf.

It said: “On advice from counsel, we believe it is inappropriate at this time to discuss this matter with the media. We believe it will ultimately be subject to the in-camera rule and will be treated as such.

"Please note that no further comment will be made by Mr or Mrs Blake.”

The Cork couple, who appeared outside their solicitor’s office in Cobh, Co Cork, took their nine-year old grandson, Dylan to Ireland last week after meeting him in a hotel in Winthrop Harbor near Chicago.

His mother, Serena Benwell, claimed the boy had been abducted and went to the police. A US judge issued a warrant for the grandparents’ arrest for ‘aggravated kidnap’.

Ms Benwell, who is married to a US Navy sailor John Benwell, said the absence of her son had upset her other four children.

Speaking earlier on RTÉ radio, she said: “My other children - they’re not sleeping, they’re not eating. His five-year-old sister - she’s crying constantly looking for her brother.

"She came down last night with her money-box and she said she wanted us to take her to the policemen so they could go get her brother.”