'Baby broker' fraud trial dropped

The Kilshaws tried to adopt US twins in 2001 but failed

An American woman alleged to be at the centre of a high-profile internet adoption bid by a north Wales couple has been cleared of fraud charges.

Alan and Judith Kilshaw from Flintshire tried to adopt twins from the US in 2001 and claimed they paid Tina Johnson £8,200 to facilitate the process.

Ms Johnson was charged with fraud last year but was formally cleared by a California judge this week.

Mrs Kilshaw said the couple had been left with nothing and had no closure.

Ms Johnson, who consistently denied the charges against her, was arrested in Seattle by the FBI last year and charged with multiple counts of wire fraud, the US offence of obtaining money deceitfully using telecommunications.

It had previously been alleged that she had set up business as an "adoption facilitator" using the internet and had traded fraudulently, taking payments from prospective parents.

There is no closure for me and Alan - it smells like a big cuddly cat Judith Kilshaw

On Monday, the District Attorney's office in San Diego confirmed it was no longer going to proceed with the case.

Mr and Mrs Kilshaw, from Shotton, made headlines when they had tried to adopt twin baby girls in the US, but the children were removed by social services back in Wales and returned to their mother in the States.

They claimed to have paid £8,200 in fees to Ms Johnson and were expected to be key witnesses if the trial went ahead.

Mrs Kilshaw said she and her husband had not been informed the case had been dropped.

"Courtesy should have prevailed. They should have called us," she said. "There is no closure for me and Alan - it smells like a big cuddly cat.

"I want to know why my family has been put on standby over and over again. If I can't get the answers out of the FBI then I will ask Jack Straw.

"I wish I'd never bothered paying anyone anything. We've been left with nothing and have no closure."

Struck off

The Kilshaws recently told BBC Wales they remained very bitter about the affair and have called for an inquiry into the way the babies were placed in care by Flintshire Council's social services department, and ultimately returned to the US.

They have suffered further troubles since the adoption attempt went wrong.

They were declared bankrupt in March 2002, and four months later Mr Kilshaw was struck off as a solicitor for financial malpractice.

In June this year, an appeal by Mr Kilshaw to the High Court to be reinstated as a solicitor failed.