A single mother from the Isle of Man is being sentenced this morning (Thursday) after being convicted of abducting her own son.

The 46-year-old woman, who has not been named to protect the child’s identity, took the then seven-year-old boy to Canada last summer, to stop him being taken into care.

The court heard how the woman claimed her son was in danger of being sexually abused by his father, but that abuse was unproven.

She bought a house in Canada, left a false trail of emails about her whereabouts and was determined to hide from the authorities.

She admitted abduction but pleaded the rarely used defence of 'neccessity'.

A jury of three women and four men took less than three hours to find the defendant guilty.

She is being sentenced at Douglas courthouse at 11am today.

The charge carries a maximum sentence of seven years in prison.