German-born Nico Leonhardt, the former partner of Petra Nemet (the mother who attempted to kidnap their son two Saturdays ago outside Mr Leonhardt's Zabbar home), told this newsroom that "it's not easy to have to live your life looking out for your son every minute of the day".

 

Ms Nemet, who is a German national, had kidnapped their son in 2012 but was captured on the Polish border. Mr Leonhardt has full custody of their son.

When the failed kidnap attempt took place two Saturdays ago, which was captured on CCTV cameras, Mr Leonhardt's son was accompanying his Maltese partner. In the footage, Ms Nemet is seen approaching them with a taser gun. On seeing what was happening, a neighbour gave Mr Leonhardt's partner and his son shelter until police assistance arrived.

Mr Leonhardt installed the camera outside his home out of fear that his son would be kidnapped again.

The electro shock weapon harmed both the child and Mr Leonhard's Maltese partner who was holding the child at the time, Mr Leonhardt said. Ms Nemet is understood to have sped to the airport and caught the next flight to Hungary. A European arrest warrant has been issued by the Malta Police.

Mr Leonhardt said that the Maltese courts had reviewed a psychological report issued in Poland of Mr Leonhardt, his former partner and their son and ruled that he will have full care and custody of their son.

Nemet had been arrested by Maltese police in May

Back in May, she had been arrested after she unexpectedly turned up at her former partner's home. She had been accompanied by a German television crew, RTL. Her arrest was captured on film. Mr Leonhardt installed the cameras outside his home as a means to protect his son out of fear that Ms Nemet would return to snatch their child.

The crew had filmed Ms Nemet as she knocked on the gate and walked into the front garden of the house demanding to see her son. The boy lives with his father following a court order granting him care and custody.

Nemet kidnapped son in December 2012 but was caught a year and the half later on Polish border

Ms Nemet had kidnapped their son when he was only a year two months old but was captured on the Polish border. She had kidnapped him in December 2012 but was caught a year and the half or so later.

A court in Poland had confirmed, after a psychological review on the three was conducted, that the decision of the Maltese court to give Mr Leonhardt the full care and custody, was the right decision. According to Mr Leonhardt, the Polish authorities could see for themselves that his son was neglected by the mother due to the amount of weight their son had lost while in her care. He said that this is even stated in the psychological report.

Child's father was highly concerned history would repeat itself

Ever since the May incident happened, Mr Leonhardt has been concerned that this would happen again. In the past months, Mr Leonhardt, had told this newsroom that he told police several times that he feared his son could easily end up being kidnapped by the child's mother once again.

This newsroom had contacted the police to ask whether they were taking any action but we were met with the following reply: "We do not divulge any information on ongoing cases".

Speaking to this newsroom, Mr Leonhardt said that he has been told by police that Ms Nemet fled the country soon after the failed kidnap attempt, catching the next available flight to an eastern European country.

'We have had to be extremely vigilant at all times'

After the May incident, Mr Leonhardt said that both him and his partner have had to be very vigilant at all times to ensure that their son is not snatched by his mother once again.

"It's not easy to have to live your life looking out for your son every minute of the day," he said.

Before the arrest of Nemet in May

Regarding the arrest in May, Mr Leonhardt said that the previous Saturday before the police had arrested her, she went to her former partner's home in Zabbar and waited for the right time in the side garden to attack his Maltese partner.

"My partner realised that there was someone spying on her but it was too late, Petra tried to attack her.

"Later, a witness (a former friend of Petra) told the police that Petra told her to pick her up from the airport and go straight to the house where we are living (in Zabbar) to help her to take the child at all costs," he said.

Mr Leonhardt said that after they lodged a report, the police were searching for her but could not find her.

"When she came back to the house a week later with the German camera team, I phoned the police and they came to arrest her immediately," he said.

Nemet returned to Malta some two months ago and has been planning this month's kidnap attempt ever since

Ms Nemet had been released from police custody after her May arrest but her mobile phone, she had lost in the front garden of Mr Leonhardt's neighbour while spying on the couple, was suspended by police.

Around two months ago, this newsroom is informed, Ms Nemet returned to Malta to collect her belongings.

According to Mr Leonhardt, she has been planning this month's kidnap attempt ever since she came back.