Mum on run evades officials

A fugitive mother was still on the run last night, with New Zealand Immigration authorities on her tail.

Juliette Gilbert, 37, should have given the Immigration Service details of her plans to leave the country yesterday but failed to do so.

The service, which holds the passports of Ms Gilbert and her son Sky, was now looking for her and following "some leads", said spokeswoman Kathryn O'Sullivan.

She was wanted under the Immigration Act and, when found, could be arrested as an overstayer.

Ms O'Sullivan would not say where the pair were suspected to be staying.

The website artist arrived in New Zealand on a visitor's visa, which she failed to renew after three months. She had been living with Tauranga engineer Craig Henwood for nearly a year.

He found out a month ago that she was wanted by the FBI for taking Sky, who turned nine yesterday, from a joint custody arrangement with her former husband Roby three years ago.

Before settling in the Bay of Plenty with Mr Henwood, the mother and son had lived on Great Barrier Island and in Kaikoura.

If Ms Gilbert is taken into custody and expelled, she will be banned from New Zealand for five years and will have to pay the costs of her removal.