Solicitor kidnapped his daughter

A solicitor who kidnapped his baby daughter from a visiting supervision centre has been jailed for 20 months.

Jonathan Phillips punched two workers at the centre in King's Lynn, in May this year, where his child was in care.

He then snatched his seven-month-old daughter and drove off. He was tracked down and arrested via his mobile phone.

Phillips, 40, of Lynn Road, Downham Market, admitted kidnap and two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm at Norwich Crown Court.

Nick Methold, prosecuting, told the court Phillips' daughter had been taken into foster care by social services.

'Attack not planned'

He said Phillips was not happy with the way his daughter was being cared for.

The court heard how after snatching his daughter, Phillips drove off with her towards the Birmingham area, before being tracked down to the M6 by police.

Mark Shelley, mitigating, said: "It was not a planned attack."

Mr Shelly, who said the incident was carried out in "high emotion", added: "He could see his child slipping away from him."

The conviction means that Phillips, who was a criminal lawyer, has now lost his job.