A MAN who was ordered not to contact his biological daughters has admitted child abduction. 

The man, who can't be named for legal reasons, from Murton Park in Frizington, appeared before Furness Magistrates' Court and pleaded guilty to the charge of taking a child without lawful authority or reasonable excuse from the person who does have lawful control of the child in Barrow. 

The court heard that the defendant and his previous partner had lost custody of their two daughters 12 years ago. 

Mr Andy Travis, prosecuting, said at the hearing last Wednesday: "The children were taken by social services when they were very young and adopted in 2004. 

"As you may be aware when an adoption order is made all rights of the biological parents cease.

"He says he is the biological father but he actually has no rights over them whatsoever." 

Mr Travis explained that the eldest daughter, 15, tracked the defendant down using Facebook. 

She then arranged to meet him in Barrow with her younger sister, 14, on December 19. This was done without their adoptive parents knowing.

Mr Travis said: "They are both under the age of 16 and they can't make decisions for themselves.

"When they are over the age of 16, if they want to trace their biological parents then they are free to do so. They are both vulnerable and this has caused great concern."

Once this meeting came to light, the defendant was served with a child abduction warning notice in relation to both girls. 

However, on February 27 he drove to Barrow to pick up the eldest girl and took her to west Cumbria to meet her biological grandparents. 

Mr Andy Gallagher, defending, said: "In all these years the defendant has not sought to contact the girls but unfortunately it appears that the eldest of the girls was able to trace him through social media. 

"By the time he was served with the notice the girls had requested that he introduce them to their maternal grandmother. 

"Following the receipt of that notice he cancelled that trip. The defendant says that the eldest girl contacted him and told him that the notice no longer applies to her because she had spoken to social services and in view of her age she was able to have contact with him though it still applied to her younger sister.

"Unfortunately, the defendant made a critical mistake and took that at face value." 

A statement was read out to the court from the girls adoptive mother. It said that the youngest girl is "terrified" of the defendant and doesn't want anything to do with him but the eldest girl is "adamant that she wants a relationship with her birth parents". 

Mr Gallagher said: "We have a 15-year-old girl who is not that far away from 16. She is adamant she wants a relationship with her birth parents and in due course will be entitled to have that. The initial contact has not come from this defendant it has come from the victim and she has not come to any harm."

The case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report and the defendant will be sentence on Thursday at Furness Magistrates' Court.