Alex Batty’s mum & granddad who ‘kidnapped’ teen for six years and kept him ‘prisoner’ in cult WON’T face charges

5 months ago 3

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THE mum and grandad of British teen Alex Batty, who abducted him in 2017, will not face criminal proceedings over his disappearance.

Alex fled a commune in France in December 2023, leaving his mum and their “off-the-grid life” to return to the UK after six years.

Photo of Alex Batty with his mother and grandfather.

Alex Batty with his mother Melanie and grandfather David[/caption]

British detectives said they “explored all possible lines of enquiry” before deciding there are “insufficient grounds” to try for a prosecution.

The decision applies to both Alex’s mum Melanie and grandad David, who kidnapped him during a trip to Spain at the age of 11.

Cops said today that it was “the outcome Alex and his family wished for” after the case was “properly and thoroughly investigated.”

Melanie and David took young Alex to Morocco, Spain and then southwest France where he lived for several years after he vanished on their holiday in 2017.

He told French cops that he escaped in the middle of the night on foot before a delivery driver spotted him walking alone and gave him a lift to Toulouse.

After he returned to his grandmother Susan in Manchester, police confirmed they had launched a criminal probe into his abduction.

Detective Superintendent Matt Walker – leading the probe – said today: “Alex and his safety has been at the forefront of our minds and actions since he was found in Toulouse, France in 2023.

“In our commitment to protecting children, we felt it was important that the circumstances of Alex’s disappearance be properly and thoroughly investigated.

“I led a dedicated team to do exactly that when Alex was first found, and this has continued since.

“We have consulted with various partners, such as a complex case CPS lawyer and the National Crime Agency throughout, and concluded there would be no realistic chance of criminal prosecution.

“Given this, the right thing to do is bring closure to this chapter of Alex and his family’s lives, particularly as this is the outcome they wished for.

“Alex is now an adult, safe, and reintegrated with life back in Greater Manchester surrounded by those who love him, which ultimately is the priority.”