Couple freed from jail

A CONVICTED paedophile and his Thai bride, who were jailed after refusing to tell a court where their newborn baby was being kept, were freed yesterday.

Judge Malcolm Cotterill, sitting at the High Court in Taunton, Somerset, agreed to let Andrew and Sakunna Milton walk free after they made an emotional and tearful apology.

Mr and Mrs Milton, from Wellington, Somerset, told the court their son was born in Thailand at the end of June and was living there with 23-year-old Sakunna’s brother and sister.

Mr Milton, aged 38, said he was “deeply sorry’ for defying the court and refusing to disclose any information about the baby’s sex or location when he appeared in court last Thursday.

He explained: “I feared they would get access to my child.”

A tearful Mrs Milton said through a translator that she had left the baby with her family in Thailand because she was afraid Taunton County Council would take the baby from her. She said she regretted not co-operating with social services or the courts last week.

Judge Cotterill jailed the couple for contempt of court on Thursday, July 29.

Yesterday, he told them they had paid “a heavy price” for defying the court.

“The court has no wish to send either of you to prison but the court’s only concern is with the welfare of your child.

“You have only yourselves to blame for the situation you have been in for the last few days.”

The judge said he had “no doubt” that Mrs Milton’s actions were influenced by her husband and told Mr Milton he should be ashamed of himself for exposing his wife to prison.

Outside court, detective Paul Jervis said he had spoken to Interpol and would contact the Foreign Office.

“The police still need to confirm what has been said. The parents have made disclosures and we need to confirm this information,” he said.

He said representatives would travel to Thailand to obtain DNA from the baby and confirm its whereabouts.