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After almost three weeks in hiding, a women who went missing with her three-year-old son amidst a bitter custody battle has handed herself over to police.

Rebecca Minnock, who was in Oxford, gave herself up to officers tonight, after telling the Daily Mail she had run away because she felt "trapped" by a judge's decision to award full custody to her son Ethan Williams' father.

ITV News reporter Peter Smith has the story:

Police have thanked members of the public and the media who helped in the search for missing mother Rebecca Minnock and her three-year-old son Ethan Williams.

Miss Minnock, who had been staying in the Oxford area, has now handed herself over to officers.

A mother who went on the run for almost three weeks with her young son has said she had felt "trapped" by a court's decision to award custody to the boy's father.

A judge had ruled Ethan Williams, three, should live full time with his father Roger Williams, and that Rebecca Minnock should only be allowed supervised contact after she made a series of false allegations against her former partner.

A child psychiatrist, a social worker and a court-appointed guardian all agreed with the judgement - but, on the morning of a court hearing on May 27 when Mr Williams was due to take on full custody, Miss Minnock went into hiding.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, she said:

Two people face jail tonight in the latest twist in the story of the Somerset mum who has gone on the run with her 3 year old son.

Rebecca Minnock left Highbridge with three year old Ethan more than 2 weeks ago, after a ruling the boy should live with his father.

Family friend Andrew Butt has been jailed for 28 days, and Rebecca Minnock's mother Louise Minnock for ten days, after they both lied about the toddler's disappearance.

Andrew Butt today told the court the plan was to keep her away for as long as possible to generate maximum publicity.

Last night, Rebecca contacted the Daily Mail by phone and had this to say about her situation.

Avon and Somerset Police have appealed directly to Becky Minnock, a mum from Somerset, who has been missing for over two weeks with her three-year-old son Ethan. They disappeared after a judge ruled that Ethan should live with his father.

A family friend of the mother from Somerset who has disappeared with her three-year-old son is in court today charged with contempt.

Andrew Butt has told the court that he helped 35-year-old Rebecca Minnock escape with three-year-old Ethan. Our reporter Caron Bell is there.

The Somerset mother on the run with her son has told a national newspaper she knows she can't stay a fugitive forever, but she can't bear to give up her child.

Rebecca Minnock from Highbridge disappeared with three-year-old Ethan after losing a custody battle with his father.

Yesterday a friend of the family was charged with contempt of court after the judge found he had been "utterly untruthful" about his knowledge of their whereabouts.

A family friend of a mother from Somerset who has gone into hiding with her son could face jail after a judge ruled he'd told a 'string of lies' about their disappearance.

Rebecca Minnock ran away with three year old Ethan Williams more than two weeks ago, after a judge ruled that the boy should live with his father.

In a phone interview with a national newspaper, she said she's lost faith in justice and is putting her son first. Katie Rowlett reports:

A mother who has gone missing with her son has been in touch with a newspaper to say they are both safe.

Becky Minnock, 35, and three-year-old Ethan Williams were last seen on Tuesday May 26 in Taunton. She was due to attend a court hearing in Bristol the following morning but failed to turn up.

She told The Sun newspaper she did what she did out of desperation.

A judge has ruled that Ethan should go to live with his father.

Police have widened their search for the pair. There have been possible sightings of them in Cheltenham and Birmingham.

Police have widened their search for a missing mother and her three year-old son.

Becky Minnock and Ethan Williams were last seen on Tuesday May 26 in Taunton. She was due to attend a court hearing in Bristol the following morning but failed to turn up.

Yesterday reporting restrictions which had been imposed at Bristol Magistrates Court were lifted to allow the police to continue their search for missing Becky and her son, as concern grows for her welfare.

There have been several possible sightings of Becky and Ethan in Cheltenham and Birmingham.

Becky is described as a white woman, aged 35 years, about 5ft 3ins tall of medium build. She has dark wavy shoulder length hair.

Ethan is a white boy, three-years-old of small build with blond/fair hair and blue eyes.

Becky does not drive and regularly uses public transport.