Love tug boys can stay in England

A Lithuanian health administrator failed in a bid to force his wife to send their two sons back from Britain after a judge concluded that he had left the youngsters home alone for a "significant" period of time when caring for them.

The man said his wife had taken the boys - aged 14 and seven - to London in 2012 after their marriage ran into difficulties.

And he asked Judge Pamela Scriven QC to order the boys' return to Lithuania under international law designed to ensure that litigation surrounding children takes place in the country where they are habitually resident.

But the judge refused after a hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London.

She concluded that a return to Lithuania could be harmful to the youngsters.

Judge Scriven said the older boy had "strong recollections" of his father leaving him to care for his brother when in Lithuania.

She said they had been left overnight and the boy - 13 at the time - had been frightened.

Judge Scriven described the man's behaviour as "negligent" and added: "I accept the father left the children on their own overnight for a significant period of time."

The judge said she was also satisfied that the man had consented to his wife bringing the children to England.

She said she thought that he had decided not to acquiesce because his wife refused to sell property.

The judge said she thought the woman - who runs a business in England - had been an honest witness but the man's evidence was unconvincing and disingenuous.

She also said a return to Lithuania would disrupt the older boy's education in England.

The judge said the children could not be identified.