Romania baby verdict tomorrow

First Edition

A BRITISH couple accused of attempting to smuggle a baby out of Romania will find out tomorrow whether or not they will be jailed, writes Adrian Bridge.

Adrian and Bernadette Mooney, on trial in Bucharest since early September, yesterday delivered their final statements to Judge Madalina Buta, who said she required a further two days before delivering her verdict.

If found guilty, the Mooneys, of Wokingham, Berkshire, could face five years' imprisonment. However, the couple's lawyer, Ioana Floca, pleaded for any sentence to be suspended. 'They understand the nature of their mistake,' she told the court. 'They broke the law of the country but only wanted to do a good thing for the child.'

Mr and Mrs Mooney, 42 and 40 respectively, had admitted paying dollars 6,000 (4,000) to a Romanian middleman for a five-month-old baby girl, Monica, whom they wanted to bring back to Britain to adopt. But they denied knowingly having broken Romanian law.