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Tug-of-love dad celebrates judge's Greek custody ruling
From the Bolton Evening News, first published Monday 29th May 2000.
A JUBILANT tug-of-love dad's wish to spend Christmas Day with his son has come true.
Ian Lomax, 42, of Alder Street, Great Lever, is celebrating after a judge granted him unsupervised visits to see his eight-year-old boy Christopher.
It follows a long legal battle by the Bolton man to gain access to the child who was snatched by his Greek wife Helen while on holiday in August, 1998.
The court's decision has yet to be translated but Ian says Greek legal officials have outlined the judgement for him.
And Greek restauranteur friends have also helped translate a copy of the court decision.
Now Ian says he will be entitled to regular unsupervised visits with Christopher and will even be able to watch his son open presents on Christmas Day.
Ian and his partner Suzi Burniston, 24, have just returned from Athens following a flying visit to obtain a copy of the judge's ruling into a court case heard on April 18.
He said: "This is a massive victory. The main thing for me is that the judge has seen through the lies that were spoken about me. It's very rare for a Greek judge to rule in this way.
"It's going to be unbelievable to spend Christmas with Christopher. I will be able to hold him. For the last two Christmases I have not even been allowed to speak to him.
"I broke down in tears when I saw Christopher after the court ruling, but I have not gone into any detail about the case with him." The ruling, which spans the next two years, means Ian will be able to travel to Greece to spend time alone with his son for two weeks during August.
His access rights mean he can also see the child every first and third Saturday and second and fourth Sunday.
And he says it will allow the little lad to build up relationships not just with him, but also with his extended Bolton family and Suzi, who will become his step-mum.
The decision has been sent to the Greek Ministry of Justice and will also be forwarded to the Lord Chancellor's Office in London.
Since Christopher was snatched, the day after his seventh birthday in August 1998, Ian has not seen the child apart from brief supervised visits in Greece.
But now he has joint custody of the child with his wife Helen, who he plans to divorce.
He tabled a wad of documentary evidence, including letters from character witnesses, a Bolton GP and Christopher's former headteacher, during the latest court appearance.
Ian added: "I'm going to try to raise as much money as I can so I can see him at Christmas."
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