After six years of “nomadic” life, the young Briton found in France, Alex Batty, is back in the United Kingdom

The 17-year-old young man was repatriated from Toulouse to reunite with his maternal grandmother, to whom British justice had entrusted his custody before his mother kidnapped him in 2017.

Come back to the country. After six years of life “nomadic”, Alex Batty, the British teenager found in France this week, returned to the United Kingdom on Saturday, December 16. The police now want to clarify the circumstances of his disappearance and work to find out. “reintegration into society”.

The 17-year-old young man was repatriated under British police escort from Toulouse, in the south-west of France, in order to reunite with his maternal grandmother, to whom British justice had entrusted her custody before his mother took it off in 2017 during a vacation in Spain.

An interrogation “at your own pace”

“I am very pleased to announce that Alex has returned safely to the United Kingdom after six years of absence”announced a Manchester police official (northern England), Matt Boyle, to journalists. “This is an immensely important moment for him and his loved ones and we are happy that they were able to see each other again after all this time”he clarified.

He added that he would be questioned “at a pace that suits him”, which will determine the legal follow-up given to the case, insisting that this would constitute a “difficult process” for the young man. The priority, he continued, will be to ensure the well-being of Alex and his family “and his reintegration into society as quickly as possible”.

The young man is in good health

Alex Batty, who for six years had led a life “nomadic” within a community “spiritual”was found Wednesday in the middle of the night by a delivery driver while he was walking along a road, said Toulouse deputy prosecutor Antoine Leroy during a press conference on Friday.

He is in good health, “very calm”, seems to have a “lively intelligence”, according to the doctor who examined him, and does not appear to have suffered any abuse during the six years of his kidnapping. The mother, who has not been found to date, could currently be in Finland, said Antoine Leroy.