Ex threatening not to return children!

I will try and make this very brief.

My sons are currently on holiday with their dad. We have a contact order in place that they are to be collected and dropped off at our home.

He emailed to say something has come up and he cant drop them off after flight I need to collect them from airport.

I am currently experiencing serious financial difficulity as through the D I was left with alot of debt and he also has not paid maintenance for 8 months now.

I have agreed to collect them from airport on condition that he pays my cost. Realistically it would cost £30 to collect, not a large sum I know however this could be one sons new school shoes for next term. He offered me £5. I have previously collected them and he gave me £30 so not sure about the change.

I have tried my solicitor but she is on holiday.

Obviously I want my children returned home with as little fuss as possible however I do think it is important to stick to contact order. (something he wanted)

I am very flexible and will also accomodate any change requests he has, however really feel that he needs to return them as per the order.

I feel that if I give in this time it will continue and I will eventually end up doing everything he commands.

I feel that we have a contact order in place for a reason as we dont communicate or co-parent and therefore this should be adhered to.

On a side note - he has two homes, one in UK and one abroad. He lives 90 miles return away and is not very involved other then on alternative weekends and holidays.

Any suggestions or advise.

Thanks,

Should have mentioned that ex has said if I dont collect them from the airport (which I havent agreed to) he will take them back to his home, 40 miles away and keep them there until I collect them.

Does it state in the contact order that he must collect and drop them off?

I wouldn''t get to worried right at this moment, he could just be testing the water and trying to scare you. I''d be very worried if he was threatening to stay abroad with them or lived 500 miles away. Does he break the contact order often? Also what reason does he give for you to having to pick them up?

Ffc

Thanks for the reply. Yes the contact order states that he have to collect and drop off at our home.

Yes he often asks for changes i.e. pick up an hour early or switching a weekend. Also asks for me to drop off at our local train station which I dont have an issue with.

No reason given for not dropping them off - jsut something has come up.

My concern is that he wont bring them back - he technically lives abroad so could stay there.

Yes he is testing me - always does and is a bully but this time feels a little different.

are you due back in court again? i would go and collect them,all sweet as pie. keep a diary,then wack him with it in court. my ex is doing the same to me,but he just keeps shooting himself in the foot,as is your ex. the court will see its him and not you. next time he has contact you could refuse of fear for him not returning them. was the convo about you collecting them by text by any chance?

Hi thanks. All our dicussions are via email. So I have about 2000 emails as evidence. I have been keeping a diary for the past two years of everything.

I was just hoping that by now we could all move on with our lives and stop these silly games - it is not healthy for my kids.

I''d tell him you''ve got commitments that morning so he will have to pay to send them home in a registered taxi if he can''t deliver them in person as the court order states.
At the end of the day you know if push comes to shove you''ll be picking the kids up so you might as well as throw a few rocks back to see what he does.
All the best
HRH xx