Block child abduction trial: Hamburg court extends proceedings until February 2027
The proceedings against Christina Block for the abduction of her children will take significantly longer than planned. The Hamburg businesswoman and six other defendants must face 15 additional trial days until February 2027.
Child abduction trial significantly extended
The Hamburg Regional Court has extended the trial against Hamburg businesswoman Christina Block by 15 additional trial dates until 24 February 2027. As a court spokeswoman told DER SPIEGEL (Justice & Crime), trial dates were originally scheduled only until 18 December. To date, 84 trial days have already taken place.
Block, 53, is accused of hiring an Israeli security firm to abduct her two youngest children from their father's home in South Denmark to Germany. Following a bitter custody dispute, the children are said to have been moved without the father's consent. Block denies the accusation. In addition to Block, six other defendants are standing trial, including former sports commentator Gerhard Delling, who also rejects all allegations.
The dispute is being delayed by legal proceedings over seized audio recordings of a journalist from the weekly newspaper Die Zeit. It remains unclear whether conversations with the abducted daughter may be used as evidence. The next trial date is scheduled for 6 November. A Danish court has meanwhile decided that Block must pay maintenance for the three children, although in a lesser amount than demanded by the father.