Missing mother Rebecca Minnock hands herself in to police

Missing mother Rebecca Minnock has handed herself in to police after admitting "her time has run out".

The 35-year-old had gone on the run with her three-year-old son Ethan Williams after she lost a custody battle.

She went into hiding on the day she was due to hand the toddler over to his father, Roger Williams.

Earlier this evening, police made a direct appeal to her to give herself up. In the police appeal on a YouTube video, DCI Marie Wright assured her that the authorities would work with the family for the best outcome for them all.

Minnock, who was reportedly in hiding in Thames Valley, was voluntarily met by police at a hotel after giving an interview to the Daily Mail.

Explaining to a reporter why she was preparing to surrender after two weeks on the run she said: "I feel my time has run out now. I've heard today my mum's been taken to court. I know it's not fair to Ethan to keep running with him. He needs to go home. He needs his routine back."

The 35-year-old said she was hoping the authorities would be "sympathetic" with her case.

"I am hoping and praying they (the authorities) have seen the support I have and they know I'm a good mum and will possibly look again into this case and look at all the facts."

Minnock said Ethan was "absolutely fine" and that they had "a lovely time together." She said he believed they had been on holiday together after they went swimming and to the park.

"He's been safe and happy and I don't have any regrets because I've spent so much more time with him than I would have been able to. I know what everyone has seen in the papers and the news but obviously while all that's been going on we've been having normal, fun times together."

She revealed she decided to hand herself in after he had been asking to see her family and said he wanted to go back to his own bed at home in Somerset and play with his toys.

She said that she does regret the trouble her decision to flee with her son had caused her family adding that she "honestly didn't know it was going to go this far".

As police launched an extensive search for the pair members of her family were ordered to appear in court to answer questions about her whereabouts.

On Friday, Rebecca's mother Louise was jailed for 10 days for lying about the pair's disappearance. Louise's partner Andrew Butt was sentenced to 28 days for telling police a "pack of lies".

Minnock said: "My only regret would be the trouble my family have gotten into, all the police efforts and time I've wasted. Obviously everyone's been concerned but we've both been absolutely fine.

Commenting on her decision to take her son in defiance of the court order she said: "I just felt that all I could do at that time was to run away to keep him safe."

The judge in the case had earlier assured her that she would still have access to her son if she gave herself up.

Judge Stephen Wildblood QC, told Bristol Crown Court: "Family law proceedings are exceptionally stressful for all concerned. Under the stress that arises, people may, wrongly, behave in ways that are impulsive and damaging to the welfare of children. Where a parent does behave in a way that is wrong, it is very important that matters are put right by that parent as soon as possible. The more time that goes by the more emotionally harmful it is for a child to be in the circumstances in which Ethan now finds himself."

The judge added that the case had also been extremely difficult for Williams, 39, but he had acted appropriately throughout.