The baby twins bought for adoption over the Internet by Alan and Judith Kilshaw are to remain in council care, a High Court judge ruled yesterday. Mr Justice Kirkwood, sitting at the High Court in Birmingham, said the court would remain in control of the case and the twins would remain where they are pending research into what was best for them.
The judge said the Kilshaws, from Buckley in north Wales, had given the court solemn undertakings not to discuss the case or any of the arrangements for the twins with anyone unconnected with the hearing.
The judge said that the case involved legal complexities "since it is not just English law that I have to consider, but the position also in one, two or perhaps three states of the United States of America".
He told reporters after this morning's hearing: "I am sure that everybody understands that this court's task is to do its best to find the right solution for the twins.
"It's their welfare that really matters in all of this."
The Kilshaws, who adopted Belinda and Kimberley from their American birth-mother after paying £8,200 to a Californian Internet adoption agency, are contesting a decision by social services at Flintshire County Council to take the babies from them.
Social services officials took the twins from the Kilshaws last Thursday and were applying yesterday to have them made wards of court.
The judge said: "In human terms, there are obviously various conflicting interests and claims.
"It has become perfectly clear to me that in order to get the right solution, some calm, responsible research is needed.
"To provide further assistance to the court, I have arranged for the Official Solicitor . . . to join in this case to help."
The judge told the court that the Official Solicitor had "resources unrivalled in our jurisdiction" and would be able to participate in necessary research both in Britain and abroad and to act entirely impartially.
He said: "I do not intend to allow this research to take a very long time. We must make haste but we must do so carefully and conscientiously.
"While that is being done, it is absolutely imperative that the twins, who are presently being well looked after, are left in peace.
"That means also that the people looking after them must be left in peace. The social workers and lawyers and others doing the research must be left in peace to get on with their jobs."
Before entering court Mrs Kilshaw said she was determined to win back the twins, saying: "We are going to go for it. I am not giving up. We are fighting for everybody that's had children taken off them by the social service."
She claimed the couple had been subjected to "disgusting treatment" by those involved in the row, claiming: "The British people should listen to me and my husband and help us and support us."