My daughter was taken abroad by her father 14 months ago, the authorities know where she is - so why havent they brought her home?

A frantic mother whose daughter was taken abroad by her father 14 months ago has hit out over lack of action to bring her home – when her whereabouts are known.

Natalie Kennedys daughter Alice, aged six, is currently living at hotels in Dubai with fugitive father Philip Thomas, who has defied 13 High Court orders to bring her home and had a jail term imposed in his absence for refusing to comply. A warrant has been issued for his arrest.

Ms Kennedy, being assisted by a mediator who is attempting to negotiate with Mr Thomas, said they have managed to track down the whereabouts of the father and daughter.

The information has been passed to authorities in the United Arab Emirates – but Ms Kennedy says she has been told they cannot act unless they receive a request from UK officials.

However, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has declined to step in, saying it is a matter for the Dubai authorities.

Natalie Kennedy is pictured holding a photo of her daughter Alice, aged six

Alice was taken abroad by her father 14 months ago and has not returned

Ms Kennedy told The Daily Mail: I was always taught to respect the bodies who are in charge, government, police etc Im afraid my faith in the system has been broken.

I feel completely rejected by the government, despite being someone who has worked my entire life been an hard working and law abiding citizen.

I believe the government do not care about children not enough to protect them from parental abduction.

Alice has been hung out to dry and everyone who refuses to help, who has the power to help, is enabling parental child abduction.

Ms Kennedy said officials are failing to consider the lasting effect this will have on Alice – who is now missing out on a second year of school.

She added that the situation is not being taken seriously, even with an arrest warrant and a committal to prison.

How can someone be committed to Pentonville prison for 12 months and no-one will help because the police didnt issue the warrant?

Mediator Miceal OHurley, who has been attempting to persuade Mr Thomas to hand over Alice, accused British officials of abject failure.

Natalie Kennedy of Gorleston-on-Sea, Norfolk, pictured with her daughter Alice before she was taken to Dubai

He claimed Foreign Office officials he spoke to had been unaware of a 2006 bilateral agreement and 2008 extradition treaty, which would have enabled action to be taken.

Mr OHurley said: There has been an abject failure on the part of the FCDO to assist Ms. Kennedy.

First, the FCDO claimed there were no treaties with the UAE by which they could assist Ms. Kennedy in recovering her child.

(In September) I presented details of a 2006 bilateral agreement they signed with the UAE and its existence surprised them.

Then the same was true of the 2008 Extradition Treaty with the UAE (which) I brought to their attention.

They (the FCDO) claimed they were unaware of it, too. God only knows what goes on in the FCDO but if Ms. Kennedys case is any indicator it would explain why the UK has such a profoundly poor record in recovering young British children abducted overseas when compared to other governments who take these matters seriously.

Thomas, 54, took daughter Alice on an agreed holiday to Florida but then flew her to Dubai where the pair have remained ever since, moving between hotels.

Ms Kennedy, 44, had met Thomas via an unregulated co-parenting website, through which single people agree to have children without being in a relationship.

Miss Kennedy used the website because she wanted to have children and was worried about her body clock.

Thomas, 54, took daughter Alice on an agreed holiday to Florida but then flew her to Dubai where the pair have remained ever since, moving between hotels

She said she wanted to start a family before it was too late and although she didnt want a partner, she wanted a man who wanted to have some involvement in our childs life rather than just use a sperm donor.

But relations between the school dinner lady, who has been bringing up Alice, and IT professional Thomas soured, resulting in Family Court hearings and imposed access arrangements.

The legal saga against Thomas has continued at the High Court Family Division in July, when Mrs Justice Emma Arbuthnot made the latest order for Alices safe return.

High Court judges have described the case as child abduction.

The father has been condemned for his grave and flagrant behaviour by former Justice Secretary Sir Robert Buckland KC, as Alices mother said she fears she will never see her again.

Miss Kennedy, of Gorleston-on-Sea, near Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, has been helped in Dubai by American private detective firm Intertect Global in her efforts to track down Thomas.

She said: To me, she was everything and I just loved her to pieces. If the authorities cant track her down, there could be a chance Ill never see her again.

Former Justice Secretary Sir Robert Buckland KC called on officials to investigate whether Britains extradition treaty with the United Arab Emirates can be invoked against Thomas.

He said: This is a grave and flagrant breach of repeated orders. Theres also a question about whether theres going to be a criminal investigation.

There is an extradition treaty with the United Arab Emirates which came into force in 2008 and there is a process which needs to be looked at.

Clearly a case like this threatens to bring the system into disrepute. All efforts must be made to bring this person to book and, most importantly, for the care and welfare of a five-year-old child.

Miss Kennedys solicitor Anthony Argyrou praised his client for showing untameable persistence to bring her vulnerable daughter back to the home she needs.

A succession of High Court Family Court judges have treated the case as child abduction but Thomas has ignored court orders despite the threat of a fine, imprisonment or seizure of assets.

Thomas, from Hertfordshire, has set up his own website called FairParentingUK and an associate podcast, which he uses to campaign against what he sees as injustices in the UKs family courts. He has made a string of accusations against Miss Kennedy and said he will only return with safeguards to guarantee access.

At an earlier High Court hearing in February, Thomas seemed to show little emotion while appearing via video link as Mr Justice Cusworth warned: Playing with Alice as a pawn is not in her best interests.

The judge - who imposed a 12-month prison sentence against Thomas, to be suspended if he brought Alice home by March - said: We need to arrange for him to come to this country with Alice soon — for his sake, for her sake and for the mothers sake. He cannot live on the run with Alice forever.

During the February hearing, Thomass barrister, Edward Bennett, said: He is prepared to make a return in March if there is progress during mediation.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office would only say: We are supporting a British woman in Dubai and are in contact with the local authorities.