Man who took daughters from mother and left them in Libya jailed for fifth time

Mohammed El Zubaidy was handed a 12-month jail term at a hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London.

Mohammed El Zubaidy appeared at the High Court in London (PA) (PA Archive)

A man who took his two daughters from their mother and left them with relatives in Libya nearly eight years ago has been jailed for a fifth time.

Sir Jonathan Cohen handed Mohammed El Zubaidy a 12-month jail term at a hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London on Friday.

The judge concluded that El Zubaidy had breached orders made during a High Court fight with estranged wife Tanya Borg and was in contempt.

Ms Borg has been fighting to get Angel El Zubaidy, now 22, and her 11-year-old sister Maya back to Britain since El Zubaidy left them with his mother in Tripoli in early 2015, judges have heard.

She had taken High Court action in London and her eldest daughter has been classified as a “vulnerable” adult by judges.

Orders were aimed at reuniting Ms Borg with her daughters and Sir Jonathan described the case as “about as bad” as it was “possible to imagine.

Ms Borg, 43, of Pewsey, Wiltshire, said after Friday’s hearing that a longer sentence would have been “better”.

Four other judges had previously handed El Zubaidy, 44, jail terms, of 12 months and two years, after also concluding he had breached orders aimed at getting his daughters back home to their mother.

Ms Borg had complained, earlier this year, that he was still in breach of orders and asked Sir Jonathan to impose a fifth jail sentence.

“The more the better,” she told the PA news agency after Sir Jonathan had imposed the 12-month term.

“Two years would have been better. He only does six months.”

She said she thought El Zubaidy was living in Wood Green, north London.

Sir Jonathan said Libyan law prevented El Zubaidy’s daughters leaving Libya without his consent.

“He will not even let their mother know where they are,” said the judge on Friday.

“She has no means of contacting them and has not been able to speak to them for years.

“He has wilfully breached court orders – it is a matter of no concern for him whatsoever.

“The children are being kept in a country which the father himself as described as dangerous.”

Sir Jonathan added: “It is said the children are with their maternal grandmother but there is no way to confirm that is the case, or whether the children are in good health or not.”

He went on: “I regard this as about as bad a case as it is possible to imagine.”

El Zubaidy had been given a 12-month term in 2017, separate jail terms of two years and 12 months in 2018, and another 12-month term in 2021.

Judges had heard that El Zubaidy had left prison earlier this year.

Ms Borg and Mr El Zubaidy had met two decades ago, judge have heard.

She was born in Malta and he was born in Libya.

Barrister Richard Bentwood, who represented El Zubaidy, argued that there was no point in jailing El Zubaidy again – and said “enough is enough”.

“He does not believe there is anything he can do to effect their return,” Mr Bentwood told Sir Jonathan.

“He believes there is nothing more he can do.”

Mr Bentwood said there was no reason to think that another jail term would cause El Zubaidy to change his “approach”.

He added: “Mr El Zubaidy informs the court he will not comply with further orders – he will not comply any further.”