4:45pm Tuesday 23rd September 2008
THE relieved stepfather of an 11-year-old King's Worthy girl who was trapped' in Russia has spoken of his happiness at having his family back together.
Speaking exclusively to The Hampshire Chronicle Patrick Osborne, 52, revealed that his stepdaughter had returned home late last night (Monday, September 22) and that he was still finding it hard to believe that she was home again.
His stepdaughter, Victoria Vicka' Osborne, was trapped in Russia this month after her biological father, a colonel in the Russian army, put a restriction on her leaving the country.
She had been with her mother, Tatiana, to visit her grandmother in Saratov for the summer holidays but when the pair arrived at the airport to fly home on August 28 they were stopped by Russian officials.
Under Russian law, divorced parents can impose a legal restriction to stop their children leaving the country until they are 18.
The news devastated Dr Osborne, who feared that Vicka could be stuck more than 1,000 miles away for seven years, and worked tirelessly to try and bring the pair home.
Last night his hard work paid off as his wife and stepdaughter finally touched British soil.
The university lecturer said that Victoria's father, Yuri Gladkikh, imposed the restriction because he wanted the rights to a flat that he shared with Mrs Osborne before they separated eight years ago.
Ten days ago, Dr Osborne flew to Russia to support his family and while he was there the two parties came to an agreement.
Mrs Osborne, 34, agreed to de-register from the flat, effectively signing away her rights to her inheritance, and Col Gladkikh withdrew the restriction, allowing Victoria to come home, Dr Osborne said.
Speaking from his Ilex Close home just hours after his return, he said: "It's difficult to realise that it's true. It was a difficult day yesterday - to the last minute we were never quite sure that it'd come off and now we're in shock."
However, the happiness of Victoria's return has been coupled with sadness as Dr Osborne says he doubts the schoolgirl will be able to visit her grandmother in Russia again.
Dr Osborne, who lectures at the University of Southampton, said: "I don't think they'll be safe to go and visit her grandmother again, that's the irony in all this. He abused this law so he would be able to keep her there but never asked to see her once when she was there."
He added that Tatiana had now lost her home in Russia and any rights she would have to the sale of it.
Despite only returning home at 9pm last night, Vicka was keen to start her new life at The Westgate School and went this morning. She missed out on the first two and a half weeks of starting secondary school but her stepfather says she is keen to meet her new teachers and friends.
He said: "She had a lot of cards waiting for her when she got home. There was tremendous support from people locally.
"She's gone through a lot. I think she doesn't understand why someone would do this to her."
Dr Osborne thanked The Hampshire Chronicle for bringing the story to the public's attention and said that the whole family was now looking forward to normality.
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